John Cena’s Last Lap: Passing the Torch to WWE’s Next Generation
When a legend gears up to hang up his boots, it’s never just about the final showdown. For John Cena, after a 26-year ride in the ring, this moment is a full-bl...
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Search Results: "torch"
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To The Big One: Update On Ronda Rousey’s WrestleMania Status Following Injury
They’re in a time crunch. We are less than four weeks away from WrestleMania 39 and that means it is time to get everything left over set up for the card. It is difficult to get some things together and it can be made even worse when a problem takes place out of nowhere. That seems to be the case again, as a star who is probably going to be on the card is injured. Now we know some more about the situation. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Other Side: MJF Allegedly Said He’s “Looking Forward To Being” In WWE In 2024 This week on SmackDown, Ronda Rousey appeared with her arm in a sling after being attacked by Natalya and Tegan Nox earlier in the night. According to PWTorch.com, Rousey aggravated a prior injury, meaning that the planned tag team match between Rousey/Shayna Baszler vs. Nox/Natalya had to be changed. As of now, Rousey is still expected to wrestle at WrestleMania, though she has not had a match announced yet. A healthy Rousey is a force. Check out what should be at WrestleMania..
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Update On Possible CM Punk Return To WWE, Not Looking Likely
Maybe not? There have been a lot of important news stories taking place in the wrestling world this year but very few of them have been discussed as much as CM Punk’s rant at the AEW All Out media scrum. Punk has not yet returned to AEW TV and there is a chance that he never will. Should he leave AEW, there is only one other major place he would likely go, but that might not be so easy. Earlier this week, a story surfaced suggesting that AEW was working on a possible contract buyout for Punk, which would eventually free him up for a possible return to WWE. However, according to PWTorch.com by way of Wrestlinginc.com, while Triple H would be willing to allow Punk to return, there is at least one person in Triple H’s “sphere of influence” of “decision-making” that would be a hard No on a Punk return. There is no word on when Punk might be able to return to WWE, assuming his AEW contract is bought out. Opinion: While Punk leaving AEW immediately brought up discussions of a return to WWE..
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How The AEW Locker Room Views The Young Bucks After All Out Brawl
They are some of the people who matter. One of the biggest wrestling stories of the year remains the backstage brawl after AEW All Out. A group of wrestlers including CM Punk and the Elite got in a huge fight, resulting in several suspensions. It also suggested quite the divide backstage in AEW, but now we might know a bit more about whose side seems to be more popular. According to a Pro Wrestling Torch audio show, the Young Bucks are mostly seen as good guys backstage in AEW. This includes wrestlers feeling like Punk should not have spoken about them as he did at the All Out media scrum. While the Bucks are seen as passive aggressive, they are not seen as “abrasive personalities”. The Bucks, along with Punk and Kenny Omega, remain indefinitely suspended from AEW. Opinion: This is an interesting take and the kind of thing that do not get to see from this side of the curtain. The Bucks were in on the ground floor with AEW and that is going to get them a biggest status than others. At..
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WRESTLING RUMOR: Interesting Name May Gain Power With Vince McMahon Gone
He might be next in line. There are a lot of changes taking place in WWE at the moment and they very well could rock the company for a long time to come. That is the kind of thing that you do not get to see happen very often and it is a rare situation where a lot of movement could take place as a result. It seems possible that one person in particular could benefit behind the scenes. According to a Pro Wrestling Torch VIP Audio show, Paul Heyman may be set to move up in WWE’s creative due to Stephanie McMahon becoming the co-CEO of the company. Heyman and Triple H are said to be close and Heyman’s relationship with McMahon has improved over the years. Heyman was in charge of Monday Night Raw for several months starting in 2020 before being replaced by Bruce Prichard. Opinion: Now this is intriguing as the power vacuum left by Vince McMahon’s absence begins to be filled. Vince ran the company for such a long time that there were very few people with significant authority. Things seem ..
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RUMOR: Kevin Dunn Most Likely Done In WWE
This is only a rumor, so take it for what it’s worth. According to a report from Cageside Seats, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics said on Busted Open Radio that longtime WWE producer Kevin Dunn will most likely be finished with the company. This comes after the announcement that Vince McMahon was retiring and on his way out of WWE. Thurston said that he has heard that Dunn and new Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon “don’t like each other,” while Wade Keller of PWTorch states that Dunn is not a “Triple H guy.” Keller thinks that Dunn will be out “about a year from now.” Dunn has been employed by WWE for almost 40 years and has grown from Associate Producer to Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Distribution. However, he is generally not spoken of very highly by current and former talent, current employees, and wrestling fans in general. We will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as they are made available. Editor’s Opinion: This doesn’t surprise me, and I think thi..
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He’s Out: WWE Star Dropped From Storyline And Already Replaced
I guess he didn’t fit? There are a lot of storylines in wrestling and some of them have to include some very specific wrestlers. Some of the stories are just not going to work with the wrong people in there and sometimes you have to make the right kind of adjustments. That seems to be the case again in WWE, as someone has been moved out of a story that was built around him in the first place. According to Pro Wrestling Torch, Max Dupri is done with the Maximum Male Models stable, with his sister Maxxine Dupri taking his place as of this week’s SmackDown. Max was said to not be fitting in and “rubbing some people the wrong way”. There is no word on what is next for Max in WWE. According to Fightful Select, Vince McMahon had the idea for the character and wanted Max to be nothing like LA Knight from NXT. Max would also challenge the writers for what he was being told to say. McMahon’s retirement could be seen as a positive for Max, who has supporters in WWE and could get another opportu..
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RUMOR KILLER On Triple H And Stephanie McMahon’s Issues
Not so fast? To say that WWE is in a state of flux backstage would be a huge understatement. There have been all kinds of changes with a lot of people, including those who help run the company. As usual, a lot of those changes involve the McMahons, including Stephanie McMahon and her husband Triple H. It turns out that those things might not be as bad as they seem. In recent days, rumors have started to appear online suggesting that McMahon and Triple H are separating. This was due to McMahon appearing without her wedding ring and stepping away from her role in WWE. According to Wade Keller on PWTorch VIP Audio, there is no truth to the rumors and the two are not separated. The two have been reducing their hours in WWE due to a combination of the age of their daughters, Triple H’s health and wanting to be at work less often. Earlier this week, McMahon took over as temporary CEO and Chairman of WWE while her father Vince is under investigation for an alleged affair with an employee. O..
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Here’s How The Sasha Banks/Naomi Incident Is Being Received Backstage In WWE
They don’t seem happy. The biggest wrestling story of the week continues to be Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out on this week’s Monday Night Raw. The two left during the show following a disagreement with Vince McMahon over the direction of the main event, which would have included the two of them. Now that things have settled a bit, we have a better idea of how this is being received. According to PWTorch VIP Audio and seconded by Wrestling Observer Live, there is little sympathy for Banks and Naomi backstage in WWE, with Banks receiving none. The majority of people have been talking about Banks, with almost no one standing up for either woman. One of the main terms reportedly being used to describe Banks’ behavior is “mark”, referring to people who take wrestling too seriously. There is no word on how, or if, the two will be punished by WWE. Opinion: I’m sure there are all kinds of details that we do not know yet, but at the end of the day, Banks and Naomi walked out when being giv..
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RUMOR: Here’s Why AEW Pulled Stars From Upcoming Independent Shows
It takes priority. The rise of AEW has changed the way the wrestling world works in a lot of ways. One of the biggest has been allowing wrestlers to get a better chance to showcase themselves on a major stage. That is going to let those wrestlers land several bookings on smaller shows, but now that is not going to be the case with some wrestlers on an upcoming show. According to PW Torch, AEW has pulled a group of wrestlers from some upcoming independent events as they have changed a Dark taping from April 30 to May 1. As a result, Lee Moriarty and Skye Blue have been pulled from a Black Label Pro event and JD Drake, Top Flight and Wheeler Yuta have been pulled from a Pro Wrestling Guerrilla event. Both promotions have promised replacements. Unfortunately Lee Moriarty, Skye Blue and Jake Something will not be appearing at Fancy Wrestling next week. Updated matches and championship repercussions will be announced very soon. — Black Label Pro (@BLabelPro) April 22, 2022 Unfortunate..
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Scott Hall On Life Support After Suffering Three Heart Attacks
Please get better. Wrestlers are a lot of things, including some of the most over the top, larger than life characters that you will see in all of television. They are able to showcase their abilities in front of a lot of people at the same time, ranging from television to live events. However, they are still humans, and that means bad things can happen to them, which was the case this week. PW Torch is reporting that WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall is on life support at a hospital in Marietta, Georgia after suffering three heart attacks. Hall underwent hip replacement surgery last week but a blood clot got loose to cause the issue. There is no word on Hall’s chances for survival or what his next steps will be. Hall was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014 on his own and again in 2020 as part of the New World Order. Opinion: All that matters here is Hall’s health and hopefully he is able to make a full recovery. This is about as serious as you can get as Hall is literally survivin..
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WRESTLING RUMORS: What Vince McMahon Thinks Of Cody Rhodes Coming To WWE
It’s a big one. The rise of AEW has changed the way the wrestling world works and mostly in a good way. The company has done rather well with just about everything they have done so far and a lot of that is due to the people who run the regular operations. One of them has since departed though and seems to be on his way elsewhere. Now we know what might be waiting on him. Earlier this week, former AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes announced that he was leaving the company. There has been speculation that Rhodes will be returning to WWE, though no deal has been made as of yet. According to Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch, Vince McMahon is expected to give Rhodes a major push in WWE, likely including a big match at WrestleMania 38, or at least his debut at the show. McMahon is said to be thrilled at the idea of having another company’s founder back in the fold. Rhodes left WWE in 2016 and is a two time Intercontinental and six time Tag Team Champion. Opinion: While I can abso..
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WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE Locker Room Unhappy Over Superstar’s Treatment
He has his supporters. There are so many wrestlers on the WWE roster that some of them are going to be more popular than others. It is nice to hear about someone getting a positive reception backstage, which is often due to the hard work and effort that they have put in over the years. Now it seems that the locker room is not happy with how one of the more popular wrestlers have been treated. Back at WWE Day One on January 1, Big E. lost the WWE Title to Brock Lesnar. Since his loss, Big E. has been moved back to SmackDown and put back in a tag team with Kofi Kingston. According to a PW Torch podcast, the WWE locker room is unhappy with how Big E. has been treated. Big E. is popular in the WWE locker room and his current treatment is not seen as fair. There is nothing to suggest that WWE will be changing anything about Big E.’s booking anytime soon. Opinion: I can completely get something like this, as Big E. did not get much of a chance to be viewed as a top star. He won the title v..
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AEW Wrestlers Refute Recent Report On Cody Rhodes
That doesn’t sound great. AEW has had a huge impact on the wrestling world and has done so under a very different method. While President Tony Khan seems to have the final say on just about everything, there are a group of wrestlers with quite a bit of authority of their own. However, there is a report that one of them might not be the friendliest backstage. Now some wrestlers are disagreeing with what was said. Earlier this week, PW Torch reported that AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes is not as approachable with the rest of the roster as CM Punk. After the report was published, several AEW wrestlers have come to Rhodes’ defense, including QT Marshall, Fuego del Sol, Preston Vance and more. All of them spoke about how Rhodes has helped them and offered advice when needed. PW Torch has not responded to the wrestlers’ comments. Idk who gives Wade his info! “Unlike Cody” … I wish Cody was unapproachable. So when he’s filming one of his 30 tv shows, I’d have his locker room in p..
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WRESTLING RUMORS: Interesting Note On CM Punk Backstage In AEW
He’s in his own place. Earlier this year, CM Punk made his AEW debut in one of the biggest moments the company has ever seen. Punk was instantly one of the company’s top stars and he has continued to hold that spot in the months since. In addition to being a star on his own, Punk can be a help to the locker room, but there is something that might hold that idea back a bit. According to PW Torch, Punk isolates himself backstage in AEW by having his own locker room, just like Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin. It is not clear why Punk has his own room, but he has a longstanding reputation for being less social than other wrestlers. There is nothing to suggest that Punk is unhappy or dislikes the rest of the roster, but rather he simply likes being by himself when dressing. Punk has been a hit in AEW so far. Check out what he has done in the company: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: Th..
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AEW’s Tony Khan Offers Interesting Comments On WWE Releases
His opinion matters. The wrestling world has changed since the rise of AEW and there is nothing to suggest that those changes are going to stop anytime soon. The company has offered the wrestling world a new place to go and that is certainly a good thing. Above all else, it means that leaving WWE is not the end of a wrestler’s mainstream career, which seems to be the case again. In a new interview with Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch, AEW President Tony Khan spoke about the recent WWE releases. Khan talked about how sad it was to see so many wrestlers being let go from a company and losing their jobs. He also mentioned that in every wave of WWE releases, there are always a few that he is interested in bringing in to AEW. This is the case again with the latest batch of releases, though Khan did not say who he was interested in. Assuming the released wrestlers do not attempt to get out of their no compete clauses, they will be allowed to appear in AEW in 30 or 90 days, depending on t..
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WRESTLING RUMORS: More On Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch Backstage Confrontation
There’s more to it than that. Every so often, something happens in wrestling that goes beyond what happens in front of the fans. A situation might take place during a match or segment that did not go as planned and it can spill over backstage. That was the case this week with two top WWE stars, and now it seems that the fallout could go even further than just those two. Following last week’s WWE SmackDown, Becky Lynch and Charlotte had a backstage altercation due to the show’s final segment not going as planned. Charlotte dropped the Raw Women’s Title instead of handing it to Lynch. According to Pro Wrestling Torch VIP, none of the WWE women’s division wants to work with Charlotte, either in the ring or in a promo or segment, which has been the case since before last week’s segment. Lynch is also being praised backstage for standing up to Charlotte, who has a reputation of being difficult to work with. There is no word on Charlotte being punished for the incident. It was quite the me..
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WWE Planning Brock Lesnar Passing Of The Torch WrestleMania Match
It would be a generational match. WWE is in a weird place at the moment as they are having to try and figure out a way to restock their shelves but continue to rely on their old guard in big spots. At some point WWE has to bring in someone new and those older stars could help elevate them in a hurry. That might be the case with a recent signing to the company. Last week, WWE officially signed Gable Steveson, an Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler, to a contract with the company. According to F4WOnline.com, WWE is planning to have Steveson face Brock Lesnar in a special match at WrestleMania in a passing of the torch style moment. It is not clear when this will happen or when Steveson will be making his debut for the company. Steveson is scheduled to return to the University of Minnesota to defend his NCAA Heavyweight Championship next season. This has potential. Check out the two in action, plus Lesnar at WrestleMania: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains ..
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Jay White Leading A Bullet Club Invasion In AEW?
Jay White retained the IWGP NEVER Openweight Championship against David Finally at NJPW Resurgence. The event took place on Friday, August 13 live from The Torch at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The defacto Bullet Club leader came into the match with quite the buzz surrounding him, thanks to his recent stint in Impact Wrestling. That stint includes the addition of Chris Bey into the Bullet Club’s ranks. White is met with cheers and full crowd support despite where he goes, which is understandable. American fans admire King Switch’s work from afar and that is typically always the case. But this is about more than just Jay getting over in the United States. Is The Bullet Club gearing up for an American invasion? [This post contains video, click to play] It’s Still His Era The Switchblade is the undeniable top heel in New Japan Pro Wrestling. His devious tactics and despicable nature keep him firmly on the company’s dark side. It’s a role that firmly he embraces. No one cuts a heel promo..
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“The Assassin” Joey Hamilton Passes Away At Age 82
We have some sad news to report today as “The Assassin” Joey Hamilton has passed away at the age of 82. From WWE.com: Following in the footsteps of his brother Larry “The Missouri Mauler,” Hamilton transitioned from amateur boxing and broke into the world of wrestling in the 1950s. By 1958, The Hamilton Brothers had risen up the ranks of the New York based Capitol Wrestling and battled Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez in the main event at Madison Square Garden. Just 19 years old at the time, Jody became the youngest grappler to ever co-main event at The World’s Most Famous Arena. Hamilton would go on to team with Tom Renesto to form the masked duo The Assassins and drew sellout crowds throughout the southeastern United States. The tandem became a force in Georgia Championship Wrestling and held the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles a record-breaking 12 times. After Renesto’s retirement, Hamilton would carry on the torch of The Assassins with Ernie Ladd and then “Hercules” Hernandez and cl..