Last night at WWE Backlash, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles defeated Dean Ambrose to become the new WWE World Champion. Below are some comments on Twitter from WWE Stars:
Tag: WWE
2016 WWE Backlash (SmackDown) Results
(Kickoff – Pre-Show) – Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews: Winner: Baron Corbin
SmackDown Women’s Championship – Six-Pack Challenge: Nikki Bella vs Natalya vs Becky Lynch vs Naomi vs Alexa Bliss vs Carmella – Alexa Bliss eliminated by Naomi, Natalya eliminated Naomi, Nikki eliminated Natalya, Carmella eliminated Nikki, Becky eliminated Carmella by submission with the Dis-Arm-Her – Winner and first-ever SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch
Bray Wyatt assaulted Randy Orton in the back.
The Usos vs The Hype Bros – Winners advance to SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals – Winners: The Usos
Intercontinental Championship: (C) The Miz w/Maryse vs Dolph Ziggler – Maryse sprayed something in Dolph’s eyes. Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale for the win – Winner: The Miz
Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton – Greg Hamilton announced that due to injury, Orton could not compete. Hamilton said Wyatt insisted on the official ten-count for his win by forfeit. Robinson counts]ed to ten and Wyatt was announced the winner – Winner by Forfeit: Bray Wyatt
After the announcement, Wyatt’s music hit as his arm was raised. Wyatt went to leave the ring but Hamilton announced a No Holds Barred match against… the pyro hit and out came Kane.
No Holds Barred Match: Kane vs Bray Wyatt – Randy Orton limped down to the ring and hit Wyatt with a RKO, Kane hit Wyatt with a choke slam for the win – Winner: Kane
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: Heath Slater & Rhyno vs The Usos – Winners and first-ever SmackDown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Rhyno
WWE World Championship: (C) Dean Ambrose vs AJ Styles – Winner and new WWE World Champion AJ Styles
Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt Not Happening Tonight At WWE Backlash?
Source: WrestlingINC
Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt will not be happening at tonight’s WWE Backlash pay-per-view from Richmond, Virginia, according to PWInsider. No word yet on how the match will be handled.
Orton has not been cleared to compete following his WWE SummerSlam TKO loss to Brock Lesnar. WWE officials were hopeful that Orton would be cleared over the past week but he was not.
Orton is scheduled to face Lesnar again at the September 24th WWE live event in Chicago but that match is in jeopardy as well.
WWE Backlash (SmackDown) Card 9/11/16
WWE World Championship: (C) Dean Ambrose vs AJ Styles
SmackDown Women’s Championship – Six-Pack Challenge: Nikki Bella vs Natalya vs Becky Lynch vs Naomi vs Alexa Bliss vs Carmella
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: Heath Slater & Rhyno vs Winner of The Usos vs The Hype Bros
Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton
Intercontinental Championship: (C) The Miz w/Maryse vs Dolph Ziggler
The Usos vs The Hype Bros – Winners advance to SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals
WWE Hires Scotty 2 Hotty As Performance Center Coach
WWE announced the following today:
Scotty 2 Hotty joins WWE Performance Center as a coach
The WWE Performance Center coaching staff has added another former champion to the team.
Attitude Era favorite Scotty 2 Hotty — aka, Scott Taylor— began coaching NXT recruits full-time this week in Orlando, Florida. A former WWE Tag Team and Light Heavyweight Champion, Taylor visited the Performance Center as a guest coach in June, and has competed in WWE and NXT as recently as 2014.
Famous for his outstretched hair and crowd-pleasing “Worm” taunt, Taylor became one of the most popular WWE Superstars of The Attitude Era, teaming regularly with Too Cool partner Grandmaster Sexay and WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi.
He joins another former teammate at the Performance Center in the form of Head Coach Matt Bloom. Bloom and Taylor partnered in 2001-2002, while Bloom competed under the moniker of the “Hip Hop Hippo” Albert.
WWE Backlash Title Match Changed Due To Injury, Replacement Announced
It was announced on Talking Smack that American Alpha has been pulled from the finals of the tournament (American Alpha was pulled from the match due to a storyline injury suffered by Chad Gable on last night’s SmackDown Live at the hands of The Usos) and instead a match between The Usos and The Hype Bros will take place Sunday at WWE Backlash. The winners will face Heath Slater and Rhyno in the finals to crown the first ever SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
It was said that Gable will be out for 2-4 weeks after injuring his ACL.
Luke Harper WWE Return Update
Source: WrestlingINC
Luke Harper may be returning to WWE soon. As noted, Harper tore his ACL this past March and was expected to be out of action for up to six months, which would put his return at around mid-September. PWinsider reports that Harper will be at the WWE Performance Center this week to test his knee and possibly be cleared to return to action.
WWE Reportedly Threatened To Fire Paige Because Of Her Relationship With Alberto Del Rio
Source: Still Real To Us
Alberto Del Rio made headlines a few weeks ago after he was suspended for 30 days for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. Del Rio made headlines once again this week, because according to reports, he will not be returning to WWE once his suspension ends.
On this week’s episode of MSL & Sullivan on the MLW Network, Mister Saint Laurent noted that Alberto Del Rio is free to work outside of the U.S. as of September 1st, and will be free to work wherever he wants on October 1st.
MSL also spoke about Alberto Del Rio’s relationship with Paige claiming that not only did the office disapprove of the relationship, but that they actually threatened to fire Paige.
“I do know that Mark Carrano, who fans might know from Total Divas as kind of like the the office liaison guy, approached Del Rio and Paige individually, and harassed each of them about their relationship. It was indicated that the office wanted them to sever their romantic relationship. A lot of people speculated, if this is why WWE split them up in the draft, and that is definitely what happened. The company did not want them together, they split them up in the draft by design, and they threatened to fire Paige if she didn’t break up with Del Rio.”
Paige is currently out of action serving out the remainder of her 30 day suspension. Alberto Del Rio and Paige were both suspended for 30 days on August 17th for violating the WWE Wellness Policy.
You can check out the full episode of MSL & Sullivan here, and you can also check out an interview with MSL and Darren Paltrowitz of Still Real To Us here.
Rumors On Identity Of Wrestler Behind WWE NXT “SAnity” Video Teaser
Source: SportsRageous
During NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II, there was a video teaser of a new NXT superstar with the words “SAnity” on it. The video teaser has also been aired during NXT the past two weeks.
The video, which can be seen below, teased a new superstar that will be making his or her way to NXT. Some WWE rumors are stating that it could be a female star while there are some that say it is a former TNA World Champion.
According to F4WOnline (h/t Daily Wrestling News), the identity of the superstar in the “SAnity” video teaser is independent star, “Crazy” Mary Dobson. The 22-year-old wrestler previously appeared on NXT as an enhancement talent.
It has been confirmed that Dobson already signed a contract with the WWE and she will be starting as soon as possible. However, the report noted that former TNA World Champion, Eric Young, could also be the one being teased in the vignette.
Young, who already made an appearance on NXT back in May, also signed a contract with the WWE. Nevertheless, NXT will be having another character that will continue the growth of the brand. NXT needs new stars following the call-ups of many of its talents to the main roster.
Dutch wrestler, Tommy End, has also been part of many WWE rumors in the past several months. According to 411 Mania, End already signed a deal with the WWE and he will start in NXT very shortly. His gimmick and look also fit the “SAnity” vignette very well.
Backstage News On The Brock Lesnar Vs. Randy Orton Rematch Happening At A WWE Live Event
Source: WrestlingINC
Brock Lesnar vs Randy Orton in “The Rematch” has been announced for the September 24th non-televised WWE live event from Chicago.
WWE decided to put Lesnar on the live event instead of the September 25th Clash of Champions pay-per-view from Indianapolis because his contract calls for different pay for live events than for pay-per-view events, which typically feature longer main event quality matches as opposed to quick squash matches.
WWE simply asked Lesnar to work the Chicago event and he agreed. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter adds that Lesnar chose his opponent based on who he felt was the best Superstar on the roster available that night, that he felt would mean the most at the box office.
