Tag: WWE

WWE Announces 2020 Royal Rumble Taking Place At Minute Maid Park In Houston

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After successfully running Phoenix, AZ’s Chase Field this year – staggeringly selling over 5000 more tickets than the arena was configured for, if official figures are to be believed – WWE will be returning the Royal Rumble to a baseball stadium for next year’s event.

WWE announced via the Houston Chronicle  and during last night’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view that Royal Rumble 2020 will take place at the city’s 41,168 capacity Minute Maid Park, current home of the Houston Astros, on 26 January.

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WWE Executive Vice President of Special Events John Sabor commented:

“We had a wonderful experience at Chase Field, and that underscored our excitement with the decision to place the 2020 Royal Rumble at Minute Maid Park,” said Saboor, the company’s executive vice president of special events.

“We want to expose the WWE brand and its events to as many people as possible, and the size of facilities in which we present our major events is a key catalyst.”

Apparently, discussions to bring the Rumble back to Houston for the first time since 1989 began last summer. The event twenty years ago, won by Big John Studd, was held at The Summit. Today, the venue is used as a megachurch.

Fans at Sunday’s Elimination Chamber at Houston’s Toyota Center, had the opportunity to sign up for a Royal Rumble 2020 pre-sale.

Source: WhatCulture

WWE Elimination Chamber Results 2/17/19

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(Kickoff) WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Buddy Murphy vs. Akira Tozawa – Winner: Buddy Murphy

Women’s Tag Team Championship – Elimination Chamber: Bayley & Sasha Banks vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax & Tamina Snuka vs. Riott Squad (Sarah Logan & Liv Morgan) vs. Naomi & Carmella – Winner and First-Ever WWE Women’s tag Team Champions: Bayley & Sasha Banks

The Miz and Maryse announced they’re having another baby.

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) Shane McMahon & The Miz vs. The Usos – Winners and new SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos

Intercontinental Championship – Handicap Match: (C) Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor – Winner and new Intercontinental Champion: Finn Balor

After the match, Lashley was irate and took it out on Lio Rush, slamming him to the mat.

RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Ronda Rousey vs. Ruby Riott – Winner: Ronda Rousey

After the match, Ronda and Charlotte Falirstood face-to-face and “The Man” Becky Lynch came in on crutches and attacked Charlotte with a crutch. It looked like Becky was going to let Ronda beat Charlotte with a crutch but Becky then attacked Ronda with a crutch. Becky was escorted out by security.

No DQ: Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman – Winner: Baron Corbin

Corbin, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley triple powerbombed Strowman through 2 tables.

Miz and Shane backstage after losing SmackDown tag titles:

WWE Championship – Elimination Chamber: (C) Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton – Winner: Daniel Bryan

Winner: Daniel Bryan

WWE Released Video Tribute For WWE Hall Of Famer Pedro Morales

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WWE released this video tribute for WWE Hall of Famer Pedro Morales, who passed away at the age of 76 on Tuesday.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2/17/19

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The WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view takes place this coming Sunday, February 17 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas 7 ET/ 4 PT, Kickoff Pr-show begins at 6 ET/3 PT. Below is the current card:

WWE Championship – Elimination Chamber: (C) Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton

Women’s Tag Team Championship – Elimination Chamber: Bayley & Sasha Banks vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax & Tamina Snuka vs. Riott Squad (Sarah Logan & Liv Morgan) vs. Naomi & Carmella

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) Shane McMahon & The Miz vs. The Usos

RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Ronda Rousey vs. Ruby Riott

Intercontinental Championship – Handicap Match: (C) Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor

No DQ: Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman

(Kickoff) WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Buddy Murphy vs. Akira Tozawa

Jimmy Uso Arrested After Being Pulled Over With Naomi, Incident With Police (Mugshot Photo)

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TMZ reports that Jimmy Uso was arrested after a drunken dispute with cops in Detroit this week.

Jimmy and wife Naomi were reportedly pulled over near downtown Detroit after Naomi was driving the wrong direction on a one-way street, according to police. Cops say Jimmy and Noami were driving a 2018 Dodge Journey that reeked of alcohol. They ordered Naomi out of the car and while talking to her, Jimmy got out of the car and took off his shirt & jacket, then squared up with police like he wanted to fight, despite commands from police to stay where he was.

A police officer reportedly pulled out his taser because he feared for his safety. Jimmy ended up settling down and complied with the commands from police. He was handcuffed and arrested for disorderly conduct & obstruction. Jimmy was taken to jail and later released on bond.

WWE issued the following statement on Uso’s arrest this afternoon:

“Jonathan Fatu is responsible for his own personal actions.”

This statement is similar to the comments WWE issued in January 2018 when Jey Uso was arrested for DUI in Texas. That statement read, “Joshua Fatu is responsible for his own personal actions. We are investigating the matter and awaiting information from local law enforcement officials.”

This is Jimmy’s third arrest since signing with WWE. He was arrested on DUI charges in March 2013 and September 2011.

The Usos are still scheduled to challenge SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Miz and Shane McMahon at Sunday’s WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

A fan on Twitter said they had been checking Twitter all day to see if Naomi was okay and the WWE Superstar responded, “Yes dear, we are safe and ok, thank you and love y’all.”

Source: WrestlingINC

Mugshot photo below is from TMZ Sports:

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Steve Austin Talks Comparisons To Becky Lynch, Says The Man Gimmick Is “Money”

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Steve Austin made an appearance on MMA Tonight and spoke about the comparisons between himself and Becky Lynch and why he thinks her “The Man” gimmick is money. Austin was asked what he thought of people comparing Lynch’s current run to his “Stone Cold” persona and felt like if that’s what the people believe, then it’s true.

“Well, I guess she is, if everybody is saying she is,” Austin said. “She does remind me a lot of myself. If you line up that women’s roster and you lineup that roster back in the day when I was still in the ring, and you said, ‘Hey, I need you to pick out my next breakout Superstar.’ I don’t think your gonna pick out Becky Lynch and I damn sure know you wouldn’t pick me out of that lineup.”

Lynch won this year’s 30-woman Royal Rumble and challenged WWE RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey the next night on RAW. Earlier this week, Lynch got her knee cleared after she was suspended by Stephanie McMahon until she did so. After attacking both Stephanie and Triple H, once Lynch got her knee cleared, she then had to apologize to get her match. After doing so, it seemed like all was good until Vince McMahon came out and suspended her again, adding Charlotte to the match against Rousey, instead.

Austin spoke about how Lynch has worked her way to the top over the last couple months.

“She has willed herself, she has worked her ass off, “Lynch said. “Studied the game, she got hot, then been cooled off. She’s got a little bit of attitude behind her, got a little ticked off and said, ‘Hey man, I’m gonna be a star.’ Vince McMahon wants everybody there to be a star, he’s going to set you up and he’s going to give you opportunities. She’s made the most of the opportunities and when they tried to slam the door she just kicked the door down and burst right through it.”

Austin not only gave a thumbs up to the comparisons between himself and Lynch, but he thought her current gimmick is “money.”

“I’ve loved what she’s done, I love what she’s doing,” Austin said. “I like her swagger. And she’s the hottest thing going right now. She’s not a person who’s dwelling on this being the most athletic match in the world, she’s a great worker in the ring, but it’s character driven. ‘The Man’ I love this gimmick, if you’re a young lady, calling yourself ‘The Man’ just like Ric Flair used to be—’To be the man, you gotta beat the man’—but, this is a whole different entity with the way Becky presents it, and obviously, she’s a female, it’s an awesome gimmick and it’s money.”

You can listen to Austin’s comments in the clip below.

Source: WrestlingINC credit to MMA Tonight

Ronda Rousey & Sonya Deville Added To ‘Total Divas’ Cast For Season 9, Bella Twins Reportedly Stepping Away From The Show

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The Bella Twins will not be participating in the next season of WWE’s Total Divas, according to Pro Wrestling Sheet.

Word is that Nikki Bella and Brie Bella will be removed from the Total Divas cast so they can focus on their own show, Total Bellas. The Bellas reportedly made the decision to step away from Total Bellas, for the time being, at the end of last season.

Total Divas producers were able to land RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey for season 9, to help fill the void, according to Squared Circle Sirens. Sonya Deville has also confirmed her role on the ninth season, as noted before.

The cast for season 9 of Total Divas will be Rousey, Deville, Carmella, Natalya, Naomi and Nia Jax. Stars who will not be returning to Total Divas are The Bella Twins, Paige, Rusev and Lana.

Season 9 of Total Divas is currently filming.

Source: WrestlingINC

Backstage News On Plans For The WWE Women’s Divisions

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WWE is planning on doing more crossing over between the RAW and SmackDown women’s divisions, according to @Wrestlevotes.

It was noted today that the female Superstars are “slowly going to be crossing over more between both shows” here soon.

@Wrestlevotes also noted that the plan is to have the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions appear on both RAW and SmackDown at first, but not on a weekly basis.

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will be crowned at Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, inside the Chamber. It will be Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. The IIconics vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. Tamina Snuka & Nia Jax vs. Carmella & Naomi. The match will start with Deville & Rose vs. Bayley & Banks.

Source: WrestlingINC

Backstage Update On Sasha Banks’ Injury

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Sasha Banks has not wrestled a legitimate match since she faced Ronda Rousey for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble PPV last month. Banks first missed out on competition a couple of weeks ago during a qualifying match to be part of the Elimination Chamber for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at this Sunday’s Elimination ChamberPPV. With Banks remaining sidelined, Bayley would ultimately pick up the slack and get the victory for her team in the qualifying match.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer notes that, as of Tuesday, Sasha Banks has been officially cleared to return to in-ring competition. Banks was only partially cleared on Monday’s RAW, which explains why she was briefly in the three-team match before taking a bump into the barricade and being escorted to the backstage area by refs & trainers.

Banks and Bayley, also known as the “Boss N’ Hug Connection,” are scheduled to start Sunday’s Chamber match against the team of Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. The other teams in the match are The IIconics, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, Carmella and Naomi, Tamina Snuka and Nia Jax.

WWE provided their own storyline update last night on SmackDown with the announcement that Banks “re-aggravated her shoulder injury” during the three-team match on Monday’s RAW. Despite that, Banks took to Twitter yesterday to emphasize that she will be ready to go on Sunday at the Chamber pay-per-view in Houston, TX. She tweeted the following:

Source: WrestlingINC

Wrestling Legend Pedro Morales Dies At 76-Years-Old

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Wrestling legend Pedro Morales has passed at away at the age of 76.

WWE.com confirmed Morales’ passing on Tuesday. The former wrestler had reportedly been battling Parkinsons Disease in recent years.

WWE.com posted the following:

WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Pedro Morales has passed away.

A native of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, Morales moved to New York in his youth and debuted in the ring in 1959 at age 17. After establishing his reputation as a fiery competitor in WWE on the east coast, Morales traveled west to territories in Texas and California, where he competed for much of the 1960s. In California, he battled The Destroyer in a famous rivalry, and formed a popular tag team with Pepper Gomez.

Morales returned to WWE in 1970, and in less than a year, he captured the WWE Championship from Ivan Koloff inside Madison Square Garden. During his nearly three years on top, Morales developed a passionate following in the northeast, particularly among New York City’s growing Hispanic population.

More than 22,000 fans turned out to Shea Stadium in 1972 to watch him battle close friend and former champion Bruno Sammartino in the main event of the inaugural Showdown at Shea supercard. After 75 minutes of action, the bout was ruled a draw in accordance with the state athletic commission’s strict 11 p.m. curfew.

He held the WWE Title for a staggering 1027 days before losing it to Stan Stasiak in December 1973. Morales puts his name in the record books again in 1980 when he won the World Tag Team Titles with Bob Backlund and then the Intercontinental Title to become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history.

Morales hung up his boots in 1987 but continued on as an ambassador for sports-entertainment. He later became a commentator for both WCW and WWE’s Spanish announce teams, and in 1995, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

WWE extends its condolences to Morales’ family, friends and fans.