Ryback Defends Sami Zayn’s WWE Strap Victory Amid Fan Criticism
The wrestling world was buzzing as Past WWE star Ryback has come to Sami Zayn’s defense following the recently introduced reigning champion’s historic victory a...
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WWE
Women Deserve Better: Rhea Ripley Calls Out Hypocritical WWE Fans
Standing Up for Women in Wrestling WWE superstar Rhea Ripley has had enough of the double standards. After months of enduring criticism since her return from i...
NEWS
Get Your Money Ready: WWE Attempts To Legalize Betting On Matches
Money money? One of the biggest criticisms that you will hear of professional wrestling is that the endings are planned out in advance as the entire presentation is fixed. While this is true, the stories are built up in a way to leave fans wondering what they are going to see in a match or story. That can make things all the more interesting, and it could potentially make some money. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: They Could See Him: Backstage WWE Reaction To John Cena’s Monday Night Raw Appearance According to CNBC, WWE is attempting to legalize betting on its matches in Colorado and Michigan. The company has hired accounting firm Ernst & Young to help with the pitch. The firm has helped legalizing betting on the Emmys and Oscars, with WWE claiming that their results are kept secret in the same way. One potential solution would be for WWE to have storylines and results locked in place in advance, with wrestlers only finding out the results just before a match takes place. However, CNBC is a..
NEWS
Tread Carefully: Brock Lesnar Reportedly Faces Backstage Heat Over Royal Rumble Tirade
He’s not like everyone else. There is no one quite like Brock Lesnar in the history of professional wrestling. With his amateur skills, mixed martial arts training and pure strength, Lesnar is not someone who can be duplicated. WWE knows this and has presented him as one of the biggest stars in the company’s history. That does not mean Lesnar is immune to criticism though and now he is in a bit of hot water. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Blast From The Past: Cody Rhodes Hints At Bringing Back Winged Eagle WWE Title Lesnar took part in the Men’s Royal Rumble match last weekend but was eliminated by Bobby Lashley in less than three minutes. Following his elimination, Lesnar through the ring steps onto the announcers’ table and attacked a referee. According to Fightful Select, there was some heat on Lesnar over the reaction, as some of it was not planned. However, heat is said to be a subjective term for Lesnar, who is not expected to be in trouble over the incident. Lesnar has been on rampag..
NEWS
They Got It: WWE Went To Extreme Lengths For Royal Rumble Surprise
That’s some secret keeping. Wrestling receives a lot of criticism for being planned in advance. There is some truth to that, but at the same time, there is a lot of work and effort that goes into making fans believe that what they are seeing is at least somewhat realistic. Every so often you see a genuine response in wrestling though and that was double the case this weekend. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: LOOK: Popular AEW Star Backstage At WWE Royal Rumble Last Saturday, WWE presented its annual Royal Rumble event. The show opened with the surprise return of Pat McAfee to the commentary team, ending a four month hiatus. According to PWInsider.com, WWE made McAfee’s return as much of a surprise as possible, with co-commentators Michael Cole and Corey Graves having no idea he would be back. There was also a “quick scramble” to get McAfee a chair and headset. It is currently unknown if McAfee’s return is full time or just for the Royal Rumble. It was a big night. Check out some of the show’s..
NEWS
Crossover: Former WWE Star Trying His Hand(s) At Boxing
Call it a crossover. Wrestlers receive a lot of criticism due to the pre-planned results of their matches, but it does not take away from the athleticism. The wrestlers that can get to the top of the industry are incredible athletes and some of the best you will find in any sport. It can be interesting to see what happens when wrestlers try their hand at another sport and that is the case again. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Unveils John Cena As WWE2K23 Cover Star John Hennigan, formerly known as John Morrison/Johnny Impact/Johnny Elite etc., has been announced as one of the participants in Creator Clash 2, a charity boxing event. Hennigan will face Epic Meal Time’s Harley Morenstein as part of the card, which will be held to benefit charity. The event is scheduled to take place at the Amalie Arena in Orlando, Florida on April 15. CREATOR CLASH 2 IS GONNA BE A STACKED ONE ? pic.twitter.com/rzyNlIrgm1 — Creator Clash (@TheCreatorClash) January 24, 2023 Hennigan had a heck of a ..
NEWS
WATCH: Seth Rollins Opens Up On The Future Of Becky Lynch’s Acting Career
She has potential. One of the most common criticisms of wrestlers is that they are only acting. Wrestlers are seen as people playing roles in fake stories. At the same time, they are rarely given credit for their acting skills, as they are often told that they are wrestlers instead of actors. You will occasionally see the two paths cross, and now another top WWE star may be interested in such a move. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE And AEW Couple Hit The Weights In The Gym Earlier this year, WWE star Becky Lynch appeared on the third season debut of Young Rock. Lynch’s husband Seth Rollins was interviewed by WQAD News (ABC affiliate in Moline, Illinois) where he talked about Lynch’s acting career. Rollins said that Lynch’s acting career is starting to “perk up a little bit and that’s where she wants to go”. He went on to say that if the two eventually went “out west”, so be it, though they would be fine to stay where they are. Lynch has dabbled in acting on and off throughout her t..
NEWS
Malakai Black Debunks Several Rumors About Him, Reveals Death Threats
He would know. There has been a lot of movement in the wrestling world in recent months, with stars either jumping from one promotion to another or just taking some kind of a hiatus. That has led to some interesting changes in the wrestling landscape and it is not clear where it will all end. However, one star whose name has been discussed in recent weeks has spoken up and straightened a lot of things out. In recent weeks, Malakai Black has been reported to have left AEW or at least taken a hiatus from the company. Black released a statement saying he was recalibrating after several years and would need some time to think. This week, Black live streamed a video on his Instagram page, addressing several of the rumors and explaining some of his current situation. Here are some highlights: • Black’s contract with AEW is not for five years. • Black has been granted time off from AEW by Tony Khan to deal with some things. • He has received criticism over unconfirmed stories, including two..
NEWS
NXT Star Appearing In Upcoming Film To Continue Acting Career
It’s something else. Wrestlers have a weird relationship with acting. There have been some success stories over the years, but one of the most common criticisms is that while wrestlers act in the ring, they are only wrestlers when they try acting on screen. That does not stop them from trying though and now another WWE star might have done something to get his foot in the acting door. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, NXT’s Sanga will appear in the upcoming Bollywood film Brahmastra Part One: Shiva. The film, which will be released on September 9, will be Sanga’s first film after he appeared in a television show from 2013-2014. WWE has made no mention of his part in the film. Sanga most recently wrestled on the July 12 edition of NXT where he defeated Duke Hudson. Opinion: The more I see of Sanga, the more I like him, as he has a unique look and is someone who gets your attention no matter what he is doing. His in-ring work is good enough, but apparently someone else se..
NEWS
Here’s Why Lacey Evans Did Not Appear On Monday Night Raw, Evans’ Funny Response
That’s a valid excuse? There are a lot of criticisms to be made about WWE and one of the bigger problems is that the company does not present a lot of the things that they advertise. This might be a segment or a match but it is rare to see a reason given for the change. It was the case again this week, and now we have a reason why, along with an official response. WWE had announced that Lacey Evans would be making her return this week on Monday Night Raw but Evans did not appear on the show, with no explanation or mention of Evans given. According to PWInsider.com, WWE decided to send Evans to the Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race on Sunday night as its Grand Marshall and she was unable to return in time for Monday Night Raw. Evans posted a tweet showing herself recovering from posing at the race, including icing down her biceps. What happens when you stay flexin?? GRAND MARSHAL duties got me laid up. @nascaronfox @wwe @cocacola @nascar it's all your fault!!!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/ZslTFa..
NEWS
WWE Sends Confusing Message About New Monday Night Raw Star (MINOR Spoiler)
Do they even know? WWE may be the most powerful wrestling promotion in the world, but there are some criticisms that you will see about the company. One of the most common is that WWE changes plans on a frequent basis, which can cause issues when it comes to storylines. That seems to be the case again, as one WWE star seems unable to make up his mind. According to Fightful Select, Ciampa defeated Apollo Crews during this week’s WWE Main Event taping. Ciampa reportedly wrestled the match as a babyface despite being presented as a heel during his two most recent appearances on Monday Night Raw. There is no word on if this is a new direction for Ciampa or if WWE is going in two different ways on the two different shows. Opinion: That’s about as WWE of a story as you can get, as the company is literally changing their minds by the hour. I’m not sure how much of a difference an appearance on Main Event really makes for Ciampa’s future, but it would be nice to have some consistency with th..
NEWS
WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE “Beats The Creative” Out Of Its Creative Team
That isn’t a good thing to see. There are several common criticisms of WWE these days and a lot of them seem to be focused on the way WWE presents its storylines. This is often blamed on the creative team, but the situation is a little more complicated than that. WWE has all kinds of people on its creative team, but that comes with some issues of its own. Now we know something more about how things tend to go. According to the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast, WWE writers have said that WWE “beats the creativity out of you”, with some of the writers having lost all of their confidence in their abilities. This comes despite the writers having experience on top level television shows. WWE creative is responsible for coming up with the ways stories are presented, though Vince McMahon has the final say on who is pushed in what way. Opinion: Is this a surprise in any way? WWE has a long history of turnover on the creative team with all kinds of stories about how they are often seen as being ..
NEWS
WWE Announces Surprising New Name For Hall Of Fame Class Of 2022
Welcome to the club. There are very few career honors for wrestlers, as the main prizes to be won are eventually lost to someone else. That does not leave many options available for career honors, though the WWE Hall of Fame is one of them. The WWE Hall of Fame has seen quite a few top level inductees and now another name has officially been announced to join its ranks. WWE has announced that Sharmell will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2022. Over the course of her career, Sharmell primarily served as Booker T.’s manager and was billed as Queen Sharmell during Booker’s time as King Booker. Sharmell joins the Undertaker and Vader as the three names announced for the class so far, with more likely to be added. The induction ceremony will take place on April 1 after SmackDown. Opinion: Above all else, this makes me miss managers. You can make various criticisms about Sharmell’s career, but she was perfect in her role as King Booker’s manager and did exactly wh..
NEWS
Here’s Who Dominated At The NXT Power Lifting Combine
They’re good at that kind of thing in NXT. One of the most common criticisms that you will see of wrestlers is that they are not real athletes. Critics will cite the predetermined nature of a match to say that everything about wrestling is fake, which is just not the case. What the wrestlers are doing in the ring is very real and shows you just how athletically gifted these people are. That was on display again this week. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, NXT held a powerlifting combine at the Performance Center earlier this week. There were different lifting groups for both men and women, with NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Zoey Stark scoring the highest in two rep bench press, while JJ Baron and Yulisa Leon and Kayden Carter scored the highest in the two rep box squat respectively. Here are the full results: Two-Rep Bench Press, Men: * Bron Breakker: 455 pounds * Brutus Creed, Tony D’Angelo: 385 pounds * JJ Baron, Bryce Montana, Von Wagner, Julius Creed, Josh Briggs: ..
NEWS
WWE Hall Of Famer Undergoes Spinal Surgery, Can Never Wrestle Again
That might be for the best. One of the major criticisms you will hear against wrestlers is that what they do is fake. While it is true that the results of the matches are pre-planned, what you see taking place in the ring is very real, as these people are putting their bodies on the line on a regular basis. That kind of work can wear on wrestlers after a bit and now one of them has had to get a lot of work done to repair the damage. WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley has revealed that he underwent spinal fusion surgery to repair damage to his back. The damage was caused by years of wrestling and was said to be worse than the doctors originally believed. As a result, Dudley will never be able to wrestle again, though he had no plans to do so. There is no word on when Dudley will return to his position as a WWE producer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by D-VON DUDLEY (@testifydvon) Opinion: It’s great to hear that Dudley is doing better as a spinal injury is not something to me..
NEWS
Alexa Bliss Responds To Fan Criticisms Of Monday Night Raw Segments
She might have some insight. WWE presents a lot of different stories across its wrestling shows and some of them are not the most well received. Sometimes a story seems to be rejected right out of the box and there is little that can be done to make it better. That seems to be the case again and now the subject of the story has something to say to its critics. Over the last few weeks, Alexa Bliss has made her first appearances on WWE television since September, when Charlotte ripped up her Lily doll. In her two appearances since, Bliss has been seen in therapy, where she is shown to still be obsessed with Lily. The segments have not be the most well received, prompting Bliss to respond to the criticisms on Twitter. Bliss said that “sometimes you need to just be patient & see how things play out.” There is no word on when Bliss will be returning to the arena or the ring. Sometimes you need to just be patient & see how things play out … — Lexi Kaufman (@AlexaBliss_WWE) January 18, 202..
NEWS
Monday Night Raw Star Working Through Injury
It does happen to everyone. One of the most common criticisms against wrestling is that it is “fake”. While the matches are pre-determined, the wrestlers are indeed in the ring and doing every physical thing themselves. There is nothing fake about the work that they are putting in and it is going to cause some physical problems. That seems to be the case again with a WWE star. According to PWInsider.com, Monday Night Raw’s Carmella is dealing with some form of an injury. The exact nature of Carmella’s injury is not known, but her matches are being said to be set up to work around the injury. That was the case this week on Monday Night Raw, when Carmella and Queen Zelina retained the Women’s Tag Team Titles over Rhea Ripley and Nikki Ash with Carmella never getting in the ring. Carmella also did not wrestle on WWE’s recent holiday tour. In addition, the WWE locker room is said to have gained respect for Carmella working through the injury and doing everything that she can. Carmella ha..
NEWS
Tony Khan Responds To Criticisms Of AEW’s Lack Of Diversity And Structure
That could have gone better. AEW has come a very long way in its short history and a lot of that is due to company President Tony Khan. Fans have been waiting a very long time for a huge wrestling fan with serious money to run their own promotion and now Khan is finally here to do just that. There are going to be some rocky points eventually though and that seems to be the case again. Former AEW star Big Swole discussed her time in the company during an episode of her Swole World podcast. Swole said that she left AEW at the end of November because her inner peace was being disturbed. Her heart was no longer in AEW and she felt that the company needed some more structure. This included wanting more time for women’s wrestling, saying that there was not enough television time to go around. Many wrestlers were getting short matches on Dark, which was not enough for some of them. She also mentioned that some wrestlers were not comfortable with writing their own material but there was no o..
NEWS
WWE Makes Bizarre Match Change During Monday Night Raw Commercial
And so much for that. There are a lot of criticisms about modern WWE and one of the biggest is that they do not seem to have a plan for a lot of things. That can create some serious issues, as you can feel like you don’t know what to expect day to day. Some of these things are more serious than others, but one played out in front of the audience this week on WWE TV. This week’s Monday Night Raw featured an in-ring promo between AJ Styles and Grayson Waller. Apollo Crews ultimately interrupted, saying that since Styles’ original opponent, Omos, was not present, Styles could face Commander Azeez instead. Following a commercial break, Crews faced Styles instead, with the explanation being that Crews wanted to give Azeez the night off. Following Styles’ victory over Crews, Azeez came in but was taken out by Styles as well. There is no word on why WWE changed the match so soon after making it in the first place. It was a weird way to go. Check out how the match went, plus what Styles coul..
NEWS
KB’s REVIEW: The Gift That Keeps On Giving
It’s the Christmas season and that means a lot of people are going to be focusing on gifts (which does at least tie into the more important part of Jesus’ (look him up, as I hear there’s a good book about him) birth). Since I’m kind of a Christmas freak, that sounds like a good place to bring wrestling, which is where we’re going today. This week we’re looking at wrestlers focusing on their in-ring gifts, which unfortunately has become a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Back at Wrestlemania XIII, Shawn Michaels was doing guest commentary for the main event between Sid and Undertaker. As tended to be the case with almost any of his matches, Sid was wrestling a power style, which was not the most in-depth in the world. However, as Michaels pointed out, the power had gotten him all the way to the WWF Title, so why would he switch things up now? The power was his gift, and that is where we are starting today. One of the common criticisms that you will hear from some fans is that..