LA Knight’s Backstage Heat in WWE: What’s Really Going On?
If you’ve been watching WWE lately, you’ve probably noticed something: LA Knight’s charisma is off the charts. His promos light up arenas—and his merchandise is...
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That Wasn’t Good: Details On MJF Throwing Drink At Young Fan At AEW Revolution
That’s some heeling. Being a villain in wrestling can be rather difficult, as there is a very fine line to be walked between making the fans mad and going too far. A talented villain can make it work very well, but there are always going to be issues with crossing a line. Such a line might have been crossed this weekend, but the promotion did what they could to make up for it. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Gotcha: Surprise Heel Turn Takes Place At AEW Revolution During the main event of AEW Revolution over the weekend, Maxwell Jacob Friedman took a drink from a fan and threw it on a child. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, it turns out that the cup contained tequila, which Friedman did not know, thinking it was water. Amanda Huber (the widow of Brodie Lee) came out and sat with the fan and brought him backstage, where he was given signed merchandise and tickets to Dynamite in Sacramento, California this week. Tony Khan also reportedly spoke to Friedman about the incident. That didn’t ..
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DIG IT! Randy Savage’s Rap Album (Yes That One) Is Coming Back In A Special Way
OH YEAH! There have been all kinds of wrestling merchandise over the years and some of them are more unique than others. You never know what you might find out there as occasionally wrestlers will go a bit out of the box to market themselves. On occasion these items are more infamous than anything else and now one of the weirder ones ever is coming back. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Oh Yeah: Steve Austin Officially Set For Upcoming A&E Series Back in 2003, Macho Man Randy Savage released his debut, and only, rap album called “Be A Man”. The album featured an infamous title track attacking Hulk Hogan for various reasons. Recordstoreday.com has announced that the album will be re-released on vinyl for National Record Store Day on April 22. However, there will only be 1000 copies made and released throughout the country. It was a different time. Check out the video for the song, plus Savage doing something a bit better: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, ..
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A Good Sign: How Cody Rhodes Has Been An “Outstanding” Success Since WWE Return
He’s a hit. There are few ways to gauge how successful a wrestler has been but you can often tell when someone is a success or not just by the feeling. That is not enough for a business though as they are going to need something more concrete. One of the most telling ways is merchandise sales, and a recently returned star is doing quite well in that regard. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Boss: Update On Vince McMahon’s Current Work In WWE Cody Rhodes returned to action at the Royal Rumble last weekend, winning the men’s namesake match. As a result, Rhodes will go on to WrestleMania to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. According to Fightful Select, Rhodes’ merchandise sales were “outstanding” at the Royal Rumble and following Monday Night Raw. Rhodes competed on Monday Night Raw, defeating Finn Balor in the show’s main event. Rhodes is on a roll. Check out what he has been doing lately: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play]..
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Ouch: AEW Faces Lawsuit Over Using Luchasaurus Mask Without Creator’s Permission
That’s not a good look. The right attire is one of the most important parts of a wrestler’s presentation. Making a wrestler look good is a great way to give the fans a reason to care about them, which can be incredibly tricky. That can involve some very unique looking material, but in a recent case, it is not going well for a current star, as a certain part of his gear is getting him in legal trouble. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: That’s New: AEW Announces Series Of Non-Televised Live Events According to Wrestlenomics, AEW and Luchasaurus are being sued by a company called Composite Effects LLC (CFX) for using and profiting from their design in Luchasaurus’ mask without permission. While Luchasaurus was allowed to use the mask in the ring, there was no permission to use it in merchandise. CFX provided emails from Luchasaurus talking about a possible modification of a mask the company had created before, which became his signature mask. When CFX attempted to come to a licensing agreement, no..
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Keep On Going: WWE Legend Announces New Deal With Company
He’ll be around. There have been all kinds of wrestlers throughout WWE’s history and some of them are very fondly remembered. This includes wrestlers who have been deemed WWE legends, many of which still make appearances with the company long after their careers are over. Now another legend has announced that he will be sticking with WWE for a rather long time to come. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Next Stop: Two Elimination Chamber Matches With Major Stakes Set WWE Hall Of Famer the Godfather appeared on the Universal Wrestling Podcast and announced that he signed a new five year WWE Legends contract. The deal will allow Godfather to remain on the company’s payroll while appearing at special events and having merchandise released. Godfather appeared at Raw XXX in a series of backstage segments involving a poker game. During the interview, Godfather said he had been on a Legends contract with WWE since 2003. It has been a long run. Check out some of Godfather’s time in WWE: [This post con..
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It’s Complicated: Speculation Over Bray Wyatt’s WrestleMania Plans, Why He Could Be A Problem
That’s an idea. We are rapidly approaching WrestleMania 39 and that means it is time fpr WWE to start getting ready for their biggest event of the year. They need to figure out what all of their top names are going to be doing, which is easier said than done in some cases. Now WWE is having a bit of an issue figuring out what to do with one of its stars, as there might be a bit of a problem. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Injured WWE Star Starts “MASSIVE COMEBACK” After Nine Month Absence During a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that he believes Bray Wyatt will face Uncle Howdy at WrestleMania 39. Meltzer said that while Wyatt is popular and sells merchandise, top stars “probably want to avoid him” because of “his history with top guys”. Last week Wyatt said that he was Howdy, though Howdy appeared this week on Monday Night Raw. There is no word from WWE on what Wyatt will be doing at the show. Note that this is Meltzer’s opinion and not to be taken as a ..
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Pick A Side: AEW Stars Reportedly Unhappy Over Dax Harwood Statements On CM Punk
They aren’t happy. 2022 was a very eventful year for AEW but some of the things that were going on were a bit less than positive. Despite all of the great things that the company did in the ring, there were also a bunch of moments that were not so well received. Now we are in a new year though and there is already something that seems to be ruffling a few feathers behind the scenes. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: He Did It: Surprising Names Top 2022 Merchandise Sales Charts Last week, AEW’s Dax Harwood debuted his new podcast, with the first episode focusing on the issues between CM Punk and the Elite. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, several people backstage were unhappy with what Harwood said on the matter, as they do not want Punk to return to the company. Punk is currently recovering from tricep surgery and could not return to the ring until some time in the spring at the earliest. Punk did some things in AEW. Check out some of his efforts in the company: [This post contains vide..
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He Did It: Surprising Names Top 2022 Merchandise Sales Charts
He’s #1? Merchandise is a huge part of wrestling as fans are able to buy something that supports one of their favorite wrestlers. WWE has released all kinds of wrestling gear and merchandise over the years, some of which is quite unique. They are not the only promotion that does so however, and now a non-WWE star has topped a rather important merchandise list. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: By Association: Eric Bischoff Explains How Another Wrestler Cost Bobby Lashley His Job Pro Wrestling Tees has revealed that Danhausen has topped their list of merchandise sellers for 2022, beating out CM Punk and Maxwell Jacob Friedman in second and third place respectively. Danhausen debuted with AEW in January 2022 and has been associated with the Best Friends since, despite wrestling only fourteen matches for the team. His best selling shirt was the “Very Nice, Very Elite” shirt. The Official PWT25 of 2022!#pwt #prowrestlingtees #shopaew #aew #pwtees pic.twitter.com/g1e8ExDWdk — Pro Wrestling Tees (@..
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The Other Way: WWE Makes Another Policy Change (And This One Might Not Be So Popular)
No more. There have been a lot of changes in WWE over this year and some of them are changes that will be felt for years to come. This starts at the top of the company, where a new power structure is in place. WWE has new leadership and that group is going to introduce policies of their own. One of the new changes might not be the most popular among the locker room. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WRESTLING RUMORS: Upcoming Plans For Ronda Rousey (Contains Possible SPOILERS) According to Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is no longer giving out financial bonuses to its wrestlers. This includes bonuses for going to the Saudi Arabian shows or wrestling on a premium live event or anything else. While there may be some exceptions for top merchandise sellers like Roman Reigns, the majority of the roster is going to be making what their contract stipulates and nothing more. WWE has had some money situations before. Check out some of the more interesting ones: [This post contains video, click to play]..
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That’s What’s Up: Internal WWE Memo Reveals Several New Survivor Series Records
It deserves some praise. WWE runs several events a year, some of which are among the biggest shows put on by any wrestling company in the world. It means a lot for a star to appear on one of those shows as there is great exposure than on almost any other platform. That is the case this week as well, and now we know just how big things were on a recent major event. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ouch: Damage Ctrl Member’s Neck Issues May Be More Serious Than They Seem According to Fightful Select, WWE released an internal memo about the success of this year’s Survivor Series. Some of the highlights include: Viewership was up 46%, making it the more viewed Survivor Series on record. In-venue merchandise sales were the highest on record and up 20% over the 2021 Survivor Series. The live gate set records for both Survivor Series and any WWE event in Boston. WWE’s “fan enjoyment rating” saw a 48% increase over the 2021 event. The show was a blast. Check out some of the highlights: [This post co..
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Ouch: Damage Ctrl Member’s Neck Issues May Be More Serious Than They Seem
That could be bad. Injuries are one of the worst things that can happen to a wrestler as you never know what one could mean. Some of them are a lot worse than others too, as someone could be hurt without knowing what is going on. There might be some hints behind the scenes though and that seems to be taking place again with a certain Monday Night Raw star. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: To The Other Side: WWE Twitter Fans Gush Over Possible Upcoming Heel Turn This week’s Monday Night Raw featured a number of appearances from the Damage Ctrl stable, with Dakota Kai being the lone member to have a match. There was also a segment where all three members of the team brawled with Becky Lynch in a merchandise stand. During the segment, Iyo Sky was seen sporting a neck brace and according to Wrestling Observer Radio, Sky was also wearing the brace when the cameras were off. There is no word on what kind of injury Sky could have or if she will be missing any time from the ring as a result. There is ..
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Big Update On Bray Wyatt’s WWE Status, Already Quite The Success
That’s a change up. There are a lot of talented stars on the WWE roster and it can be difficult to keep track of everyone. It is hard enough for the fans, but there are also internal rankings for the wrestler with the company having the stars ranked in order of importance. There has now been a change on one of the rosters as a star has returned and made an immediate impact. Bray Wyatt made his return to WWE after over a year’s absence at Extreme Rules and has since become a full time member of the SmackDown roster. According to PWInsider.com, Wyatt is now the #1 babyface on the SmackDown Roster, with Drew McIntyre having been moved down into the #2 spot. Wyatt is also said to be the #1 merchandise seller on WWE Shop. Opinion: I’m not surprised that Wyatt has risen up both charts quickly, but I am a bit surprised that he has reached the top of them both so fast. Wyatt has made quite the impact and hit the ground running, which is not something you see every day. What matters now thoug..
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WWE Has A New Top Merchandise Seller (And You Might Be Surprised)
That’s an accomplishment. With so may stars in WWE, it can be difficult to find someone who can stand out above the rest. There are very few ways to prove that someone is head and shoulders above the remainder of the roster. One of the biggest ways is to see who is bringing in the most money in some fields and now one star has broken through to the top spot in the company. According to F4WOnline.com, Drew McIntyre has become the top merchandise seller in WWE, overtaking the Bloodline. While the stable has been a perennial #1 merchandise mover, McIntyre has overtaken them in recent weeks. There is no word on what merchandise is counted in the judging. McIntyre recently headlined Clash At The Castle against Roman Reigns in the show’s main event. Opinion: That is a rather telling sign but one of the most important things is that it shows someone else is on the way up in WWE. I don’t know if WWE is going to turn McIntyre into the top star in the company as a result and it isn’t like he c..
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It’s Working: Very Positive Sign For Liv Morgan At WWE Live Events
They’re doing something right. While the main focus of WWE is on television, there is a lot that takes place off of television that is only there for the fans in attendance. This is mainly the case with live events, where the wrestlers are able to try out some different things. It is also a place where the fans can tell WWE what they might be more interested in seeing, and that was the case again over the weekend. According to PWInsider.com, a source at the SmackDown live events from over the weekend has never heard louder crowd reactions for Liv Morgan. In addition, her merchandise is said to be selling in high numbers at the same events. This comes after Morgan won the women’s Money In The Bank briefcase earlier this month and cashed in on Ronda Rousey to win the SmackDown Women’s Title. Morgan is set to defend against Rousey at Summerslam. Opinion: Well good for Morgan. That is the kind of thing that you want to see as a wrestler and it is also great to see as a fan. Morgan’s titl..
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Pat On The Bank: WWE Bragging About Money In The Bank Success
They were pleased. WWE runs quite a few events throughout the year and some of them are among the biggest wrestling events anywhere. That means that some of the events that take place can matter quite a bit for WWE and having them be a success is quite the good situation. It seems to be the case again, as a WWE event was so solid that the company is bragging about it internally. Last weekend, WWE presented its annual Money In The Bank event, featuring the show’s two namesake matches. However, according to Fightful Select, WWE was so pleased with the show that they sent out an internal statement to its executives, bragging about the show’s success. The memo bragged about the show being the most viewed Money In The Bank ever and the second highest gate in the show’s history. Also, merchandise sales at the event were up 95% over last year’s, which had been the highest merchandise sales in Money In The Bank history. Opinion: This is one of those things that is worth bragging about as the..
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Cool Piece Of Wrestling Merchandise Suggests Former NXT Star May Head To AEW
Maybe he’ll swing by. There have been a lot of moves throughout the major wrestling rosters in recent years and there is nothing to suggest that those changes are ending. It can be fascinating to see who goes where and what happens to them, though it can be equally interesting to speculate on what is happening. That seems to be the case again, mainly due to a new piece of merchandise. AEW’s official online store is now selling an art print by former NXT star Sam Shaw (better known as Dexter Lumis). The print is from an original painting of Jon Moxley as done by Shaw and is individually numbers out of two hundred. There is no word on if this means Shaw is set to appear for AEW or if it is just a piece of memorabilia available. The 18×24 inch poster sells for $34.99. Just in- Only 200 AVAILABLE! Check out @JonMoxley’s Portrait of Violence at https://t.co/9hHlXpcSbp! They will be hand numbered. pic.twitter.com/xxCPWLFBKB — ShopAEW.com (@ShopAEW) June 9, 2022 Opinion: This is the kind ..
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WWE Takes Big Step Against Sasha Banks And Naomi
That’s quite the step. The biggest WWE story of the week has been Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out on WWE this week at Monday Night Raw. The two left over issues with the creative direction of the show’s main event and there is no indication of when they will be back, assuming they ever are. WWE has addressed the issue, and now they have taken a pretty big step. This week on SmackDown, Michael Cole addressed Banks and Naomi’s walkout and said that the two were suspended indefinitely with the Women’s Tag Team Titles being vacated. According to PWInsider.com, all Banks and Naomi merchandise has been removed from WWE’s official online store. There is nothing to suggest that Banks and Naomi will be returning in the near future. Opinion: I’m not sure what to make of this whole thing, but it is pretty clear that WWE is trying to make an example out of Banks and Naomi. In addition to not being around in person, they are not going to be receiving any money from merchandise sales either. Thi..
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Update On Why Bray Wyatt Has Not Returned to The Ring, Multiple Companies Interested
I don’t know if he’s getting that again. There are a lot of places for a wrestler to go today, with several of them having the bonus of appearing on national television. Not everyone is going to do that though, which often makes them more interesting that who you are seeing on the shows. It can be fun to see who goes where, and now we know a bit more about someone who is still waiting. Windham Rotunda, better known as Bray Wyatt, was released from WWE in July 2021 and has yet to return to wrestling. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, several companies have been interested in bringing Rotunda in, but the money situation is said to be “far apart”. There is no word on what Rotunda is asking for, but he is believed to have made about $4 million a year in WWE, which does not include merchandise money. Opinion: I’m not sure when or if Rotunda will ever appear in wrestling again but he is certainly one of the biggest names on the free agent market. While I would love to see him..
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Important Detail On Bret Hart’s New WWE Deal
That makes things more interesting. The battle between WWE and AEW has certainly shaken up the wrestling world and that has been a good thing. In addition to providing fans with more wrestling content, it has also given those in the wrestling industry a better chance to make money. That seems to be the case again with a certain legend, and now we know more about it. Earlier this month, news broke that Bret Hart had signed a new contract with WWE. According to the Wrestling Observer newsletter, the deal that Hart signed is a merchandising deal. There is no word on what this means in regards to Hart being able to appear elsewhere, including potentially with AEW. However, AEW is reportedly operating under the assumption that he is not available, including for the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments that begin next month. Opinion: Whether he can appear for AEW or not, this seems to be good news for Hart. Anything that lets fans have some new Hart merchandise while putting some money in his ..