NEWS

I think it’s safe to say that this year’s WrestleMania had some big moments. In something that actually surprised me, we got three happy endings in the major matches, with Kofi Kingston, Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins all slaying the dragons and winning their titles. That was the right move to make as WWE needed to give the fans something to cheer for after a long stretch of bleak. WrestleMania is over now though and that means it’s time to start looking forward.
That brings us to the current problem, which is something that can be fixed and addressed, though it’s not something that can be done overnight: who in the world is supposed to be the big villains going after the new champions? Right now, who is going after Rollins, Lynch and Kingston? They don’t exactly have major heels going on and unfortunately, I have very little faith in WWE to build them up. This has been a problem for a very long time now and while it’s something that is dealt with every now and then, it has been an issu..

There is money to be made in NXT. A few weeks ago, John Oliver’s piece on working conditions in WWE struck a few different nerves, with wrestling fans finding out a lot about what it’s like to work for the biggest wrestling company in the world. While some of the situations were more serious than others, we now know something a little more specific about a certain group of employees within the company.
According to a new article in the Sports Business Journal, the average salary for a WWE developmental talent is about $80,000, with a range of between $50,000 to $150,000. Without going into specifics, the salary of a main roster wrestler is said to be able to climb into the high seven figures for top names. WWE salaries do not tend to include transportation or road expenses, or health insurance.
This is where they work for the next level. Check out this look at the WWE Performance Center:
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Opinion: That’s quite the salary for someone who is ..

To the injured list. We’re pretty much in the beginning of a fresh season for WWE. With WrestleMania over and the Superstar Shakeup taking place earlier this week, things are at a fresh start for the company. However, that doesn’t mean that all of the people are right there for the earliest episodes. Two former World Champions were notably absent this week and it’s not looking like great news.
According to PWInsider.com, both Sheamus and Daniel Bryan are currently out of action with undisclosed injuries. Sheamus wrestled on both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live last week but was neither seen nor mentioned this week on SmackDown Live with his regular partner Cesaro appearing without him. Bryan has not been seen since WrestleMania 35. Both have long term injury issues, with Sheamus having spinal stenosis and Bryan having a long history of concussions. There is no word on if those injuries are connected to their current absences.
In case you forgot. Check out Sheamus in action last w..

You mean it wasn’t the first choice? Earlier this week, Monday Night Raw held the first half of the annual Superstar Shakeup. The night included a variety of superstars moving from SmackDown Live, 205 Live and NXT over to Monday Night Raw, but there was one thing that dominated the reaction to the show. It’s one of them ore questionable things WWE has done in a long time and now we know something else about it.
This week on Monday Night Raw, the NXT Tag Team Champions the War Raiders were called up to the main roster, albeit under the new names of Ivar and Erik, collectively known as the Viking Experience. According to PWInsider, the original name for the team was going to be the Berzerkers, a nod/homage to the Berzerker, who wrestled for the company in the early 1990s. There is no word on when or why the name was changed.
It’s still a strange name. Check out the team’s debut under their new names:
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Opinion: I’m still trying to wrap my head..

How has this not happened yet? John Cena is one of the biggest stars in the history of WWE and professional wrestling in general. He is now starting to follow in the footsteps of fellow superstar the Rock, who has taken over Hollywood. While Cena is far from that level of mainstream stardom, he might be in line for a spot in a movie that could boost his profile in a big way.
According to Variety.com, Cena is up for a yet to be determined role in the upcoming Suicide Squad 2 film. The original movie was a huge box office success, grossing nearly $750 million in 2016. Cena would be joining returning star Margot Robbie and fellow newcomer Idris Elba, whose character has not yet been announced either. The movie, with or without Cena, will be released on August 6, 2021. Should he be in it, this would be Cena’s first role in a comic book movie.
Cena is a Hollywood star but he’s still popping up in WWE. Check out his hilarious cameo at WrestleMania 35:
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NXT UK
Date: April 17, 2019
Location: Brooklyn Pier 12, New York City, New York
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness
We’re back stateside again with a batch of shows taped from Axxess. That means things could be all over the place as there is usually something big on the episodes for the sake of making it feel special. I’m not sure what to expect from things here though and that can make things a little more interesting. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Coffey Brothers vs. Raul Mendoza/Humberto Carrillo As usual, commentary focuses on how good looking Carrillo is. Mark armbars Mendoza to start before taking him down for an early stomping. It’s off to Joe vs. Carrillo with Humberto’s handspring elbow connecting for one. A moonsault misses and Joe’s running headbutt to the ribs has Carrillo in trouble in the corner. Joe slaps on a seated full nelson and even puts Carrillo face first onto the mat to make it even worse.
Carrillo powers out (impressive) so it’s a butterfly swing..

It had been previously reported that comedian John Oliver produced a piece about WWE, in which he said that the company does not care about its superstars as they are lacking benefits such as healthcare, due to them officially being independent contractors.
You can see the video in its entirety below:
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The company issued a statement regarding the piece, which is as follows:
John Oliver is clearly a clever and humorous entertainer, however the subject matter covered in his WWE segment is no laughing matter.
Prior to airing, WWE responded to his producers refuting every point in his one-sided presentation. John Oliver simply ignored the facts.
The health and wellness of our performers is the single most important aspect of our business, and we have a comprehensive, longstanding Talent Wellness program.
We invite John Oliver to attend WrestleMania this Sunday to learn more about our company.
Editor’s Opinion:
I have to admit that while th..

Oh it’s true, it’s damn true. Tonight, during Raw, current AEW superstar Cody Rhodes took to his Twitter account to announce that Kurt Angle will be appearing at Starrcast II, which takes place in Las Vegas from May 23-26, 2019.
You can see the tweet below:
It’s true
It’s damn true
Kurt Angle is coming to Starrcast II! pic.twitter.com/MQaInO2eok
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) April 2, 2019
Angle will be competing in the final match of his WWE career this Sunday at Wrestlemania, where he will take on Baron Corbin. The company took a special look at his career tonight on Raw; you can see a video of that below:
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Because of when this news was broken, many assumed it was an April Fools’ joke. However, Starrcast was quick to dispel those rumors and announced that this was actually happening:
It is. But this ain’t it.
— #StarrcastOnFITE (@StarrcastEvents) April 2, 2019
Angle joins The Undertaker and Sting as three of the many legends of wrestl..

Sometimes you just need a little extra edge from a demon. It had been previously reported that Finn Balor will challenge Bobby Lashley for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 35.
But which version of the ordinary man who does extraordinary things would Lashley be facing?
Those questions were answered tonight, as it was confirmed that The Demon will be making his return to WWE to take on the champion.
The last time we saw Balor portray his alter ego was at SummerSlam in 2018. You can see the entrance from that below:
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From WWE.com:
Though Lashley and Rush went through a rough patch where they struggled to get on the same page, the two appear on good enough terms to give Bálor even more to worry about at The Showcase of the Immortals. Now that Bálor has promised to bring The Demon to WrestleMania, can Finn overcome the odds yet again en route to regaining the Intercontinental Title? Or, will Lashley find a way to overcome in h..

Well it does make sense. Last week saw two major changes in the women’s division. On Monday, it was announced that the Raw Women’s Title match would headline WrestleMania 35. That was quite the accomplishment as no women’s match has ever come close to such a spot. Then it got even more confusing when Charlotte defeated Asuka to become the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Now though, the issues have been resolved.
This week on Monday Night Raw, Stephanie McMahon opened the show with an announcement. McMahon said that the Raw Women’s Title match will now be for both titles, which will now be Winner Takes All. Therefore, the winner of the match will leave as both Raw Women’s Champion and SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. There is no word on if the titles will be unified or not.
It’s a major moment. Check out the WWE reaction to last week’s announcement:
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Opinion: Really, this is the only way that they can go. There was no point in having Lynch win t..