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Top Of The Class: Interesting Detail About Dragon Lee Signing With NXT

January 1, 2023 • Admin

That’s a new level. With so much talent in WWE, it can be difficult to get to the top of the mountain. Some wrestlers come in with an advantage as well, as some will have enough hype or exposure outside of WWE that they start at a different level. There was a new WWE signing announced this week and it seems that they are going to be coming in to NXT with an extra level of expectations. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: So Much For That: Big WrestleMania Card Shakeup As Long Planned Match Reportedly Dropped Earlier this week, Dragon Lee announced that he had signed with WWE, which was later confirmed by the company. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lee will be the highest paid talent in NXT, though it is not clear how much he will be making. The “bottom number” for a main roster contract is $250,000 a year so Lee will be earning less than that. Lee’s deal also allows him to keep licensing deals, along with being used in a series of middle school age books featuring himself and oth..

So Much For That: Big WrestleMania Card Shakeup As Long Planned Match Reportedly Dropped

January 1, 2023 • Admin

So much for that. We are on the way to the Road To WrestleMania 39 and that means WWE is going to start putting together the card. That can make for some interesting changes as you need to see what WWE has in mind. This will often include some of the biggest names in the company but now a previously scheduled match is no longer expected to take place on the show. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: On The Mend: Top WWE Star Confirms He Suffered Broken Ankle, To Miss Time In recent months, a Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey match had been rumored for WrestleMania 39. However, according to Wrestling Observer Radio, the match is now off for unspecified reasons. There is no word on who the two will face at WrestleMania. The episode was recorded before Rousey lost the SmackDown Women’s Title to a returning Charlotte this week on SmackDown. They do have a history. Check out what seemed to be the build to a huge match: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] ..

On The Mend: Top WWE Star Confirms He Suffered Broken Ankle, To Miss Time

January 1, 2023 • Admin

That’s a harsh one. Injuries are one of the worst things that you can see in wrestling as you never know when one is going to strike. Someone getting hurt can put them on the shelf for a long time and the question becomes how much time a wrestler is going to be out of action. Now a top WWE star is on the injured list again and now we know a bit more about just how bad things are. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE Has Surprising John Cena Match Planned For WrestleMania 39 Earlier this week, AJ Styles injured his ankle during a six man tag match at a WWE live event. Styles had to be helped out of the arena but it was not clear how badly he was injured. Styles has since posted to Twitter, announcing that he has suffered a broken ankle, but he will not be undergoing surgery. There is no word on how long Styles will be out of the ring, though he did say it would be the longest absence of his career. Just want you guys to know that I’m ok. Broken ankle is what I’m dealing with...

WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE Has Surprising John Cena Match Planned For WrestleMania 39

December 31, 2022 • Admin

That would be a big one. We are just steps away from the Road To WrestleMania and that means we are going to be in for the start of some major storylines. WWE will be starting to put together their most important stars in some major matches and the question now is what we might be seeing at the show. We might have an idea of one of the bigger matches and it could come as a surprise. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: First Time: Special New Stipulation Grudge Match Set For WWE Royal Rumble According to Wrestlingnews.co, WWE is planning to have John Cena face Logan Paul at WrestleMania 39. Paul has wrestled three matches in WWE, though he is currently recovering from a knee injury at Crown Jewel in November. Cena made his return to WWE this week on SmackDown, wrestling his only match of the year. Paul reportedly wanted to have this match, which has yet to be announced. John Cena vs. Logan Paul is one of the matches planned for WrestleMania. Last month, Logan said he wanted that match. — Wrestli..

WATCH: Former World Champion Makes Surprise SmackDown Return

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Welcome home. With so many stars on the WWE roster, it can be difficult to figure out a way to get noticed. There are certin stars who are much bigger than others though and most of them have been a World Champion at some point in their careers. It can mean a lot to have one of them show up, and that is what we got to see again this week in a surprise return. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: LISTEN: Enzo Amore Releases Tribute Song To Hacksaw Jim Duggan The opening match of this week’s SmackDown saw Solo Sikoa defeat Sheamus. Following the match, Sikoa went to attack Sheamus again but Drew McIntyre returned to make the save. This was McIntyre’s first appearance in an arena in over a month as he was out of action with an ear injury. McIntyre’s first match back has also been set, as he and Sheamus will challenge the Usos for the Tag Team Titles next week on SmackDown. This was a good one. Check out the return, plus some more of McIntyre’s 2022: [This post contains video, click to play] [This..

REVIEW: New Year’s Revolution 2005: It’s Time For A Change

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Welcome to KB’s Old School (and New School) Reviews. I’ve been reviewing wrestling shows for over ten years now and have reviewed over 5,000 shows. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a new review here on Wrestlingrumors.net. It could be anything from modern WWE to old school to indies to anything in between. Note that I rate using letters instead of stars and I don’t rate matches under three minutes as really, how good or bad can something that short be? New Year’s Revolution 2005 Date: January 9, 2005 Location: Coliseo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico Attendance: 15,764 Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler We’re back on pay per view to start the new year and it’s a one match show. This time around that’s the Elimination Chamber for the vacant World Title with Shawn Michaels as guest referee to annoy everyone. Other than that…there is nothing on this show worth anything whatsoever. Let’s get to it. The opening video starts by talking about how awesome Puerto Ri..

AEW Rampage Results – December 30, 2022

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Rampage Date: December 30, 2022 Location: 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, Colorado Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Paul Wight We’ll close out the AEW year with this and as is often the case around here, Orange Cassidy is defending the All-Atlantic Title. This time though, it’s against his friend Trent Beretta. That could go in a few directions and on top of that, we’ll be hearing from Jon Moxley about something. Let’s get to it. In Memory Of Don West. Opening sequence. All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta Cassidy is defending, Chuck Taylor/Danhausen are on commentary and Kip Sabian is on commentary. They shake hands for a good bit to start until Trent misses an armdrag. Back up and they run the ropes until Cassidy is hiptossed outside. Cassidy gets back in and sends him outside as well. Then they switch places again, with Cassidy being sent outside for the second time. Trent’s dive hits Chuck by mistake but it’s turned into a well timed Big Hug. Cassidy dives..

LISTEN: Enzo Amore Releases Tribute Song To Hacksaw Jim Duggan

December 31, 2022 • Admin

That’s a special tribute. Music has played a big part in wrestling for decades as the right theme song can make or break a wrestler. That can be easier said than done as picking a proper song can be difficult. At times there are wrestlers who are able to put together their own music, but this time around a wrestler has put together a song for one of the more recognizable legends in wrestling history. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Safe At Home: Hacksaw Jim Duggan Explains How He Stopped An Intruder At Gunpoint Enzo Amore, under his musical name of Real1, has released a song called Hacksaw, a tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan. The lyrics include a repeated reference to Duggan waving the flag and standing up for his country. There is nothing to suggest that Duggan was involved in the creation of the song in any way. Amore has released music since he left WWE and performed his own theme song during his time with the company. It’s a nice idea. Check out the song, plus the two in t..

Not The Most Positive: “Top” AEW Stars Reportedly Do Not Want CM Punk Back

December 31, 2022 • Admin

He wouldn’t be welcome. The biggest AEW star of the year has been the AEW backstage brawl after All Out. The incident led to a series of suspensions and changed all kinds of storylines for the company at the same time. That is the kind of thing you do not see very often and it seems that one star will not be back in the company anytime soon. As it turns out, that might not be the most unpopular decision. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: He Would Know: Sting Reveals (Some) Plans For His Final Match CM Punk was involved in the backstage brawl and has not returned to AEW television since. While Punk is out of action recovering from tricep surgery, there is little to suggest that he will be returning to AEW after he is healed up. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, several “top guy”, with Chris Jericho being named, have said they will make sure Punk does not return to AEW. There is no word on how they will influence Tony Khan, but Punk will not be available until the spring of 2023 at ..

First Time: Special New Stipulation Grudge Match Set For WWE Royal Rumble

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Another one on the list. We are less than a month away from the Royal Rumble as WWE is going to be starting their new year in a big way. With so much going on, it is time to start building up one of the most important nights of the year. That is going to include some major matches and now we have one more thing added to the card outside of the show’s namesake matches. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BREAKING: Surprise Return Leads To Impromptu SmackDown Title Change Over the last few weeks, LA Knight and Bray Wyatt have been having issues, including Knight accusing Wyatt of attacking him multiple times. This week on SmackDown, Knight challenged Wyatt to a match at the Royal Rumble, with Wyatt accepting. Later in the night, the match was announced as a Pitch Black match, which had been advertised in advance without participants. There is still no word on what the stipulations or rules of the match will be. It’s been a big feud. Check out how we got here: [This post contains video, click to p..

SmackDown Results – December 30, 2022

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Smackdown Date: December 30, 2022 Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett It’s the final show of the year and that means we are going to be seeing more than a few big things this week. First and foremost, John Cena is back for his only match of the year as he teams with Kevin Owens to face Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns. In addition, we have the Women’s Title on the line as Ronda Rousey defends against Raquel Rodriguez. Let’s get to it. Here’s is Bray Wyatt for an opening chat. Wyatt does not see himself as a good person but he does try. Looking back at how he got here, he doesn’t regret much, but last week he did something that he did regret. Last week, he apologized a cameraman in cold blood and….here is LA Knight to interrupt. Knight cannot believe that the master of the mind games is here to apologize because he doesn’t buy any of this. Wyatt has been playing mind games and now it is time to pay the check. Knight remembers Wyatt being somethin..

Impact Wrestling Results – December 29, 2022 (Best Of 2022)

December 31, 2022 • Admin

Impact Wrestling Date: December 29, 2022 Hosts: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan It’s the final show of the year and that means we’re going Best Of. It has been a pretty strong year for Impact, as there have been quite a few stars coming and going, along with some rather awesome matches throughout. We’ll also get the Year End Awards, which are often rather fun. Let’s get to it. Note that I’ll be posting the full versions of the matches shown rather than the clipped versions in the broadcast. Opening sequence. The hosts bid us welcome. From Hard To Kill. Impact World Title: Moose vs. Matt Cardona vs. W. Morrissey Moose is defending and it’s one fall to a finish. Cardona gets sent outside to start and Morrissey boots Moose down for an early two. Everyone winds up outside, with Moose powerbombing Cardona onto the apron. Back in and Morrissey hits some running splashes in the corner until Moose crossbodies him down. The middle rope chokebomb gives Moose two, with Cardona making the sav..

BREAKING: Surprise Return Leads To Impromptu SmackDown Title Change

December 31, 2022 • Admin

That’s a comeback. There are all kinds of ways for a wrestler to return to the ring and some of them can be rather impressive. If a wrestler has been gone for several months, any way that they come back is going to feel like a big deal but if they do something special upon returning, it can get even more interesting. That was the situation this week, even if it was something we have seen before. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Bray Wyatt Thinks He Has A Broken Finger This week on SmackDown, Ronda Rousey successfully defended her Women’s Title against Raquel Rodriguez. After the match, Charlotte made a surprise return and challenged Rousey to an impromptu title match. Charlotte would go on to defeat Rousey, beating her in less than one minute to become a fourteen time Women’s Champion. This was Charlotte’s first appearance since WrestleMania Backlash on May 8, when Rousey defeated her in an I Quit match. It was a fast title change. Check out the win and more of Charlotte in action: [T..

WATCH: Bray Wyatt Thinks He Has A Broken Finger

December 31, 2022 • Admin

That’s a nasty one. There are all kinds of injuries a wrestler can suffer, with some of them being more serious than others. While there are certain injuries that are going to leave a wrestler out of action for a very long time, others can seem rather small but wind up being more nagging than anything else. That might have taken place again to a big WWE name at a recent live event. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Referee Drops Sami Zayn With A Stunner At Live Event WWE held a live event in Miami, Florida earlier this week, featuring Bray Wyatt in action. Following the match, Wyatt spoke to some fans in the audience and noted that he could not shake hands due to breaking his finger during the match. There is no word on if Wyatt’s finger has officially been diagnosed as broken or if he will miss any ring time. Wyatt has yet to wrestle on television since his return at Extreme Rules. That could be a rough one. Check out Wyatt’s statement, plus some more of him since his return: [Thi..

WATCH: WWE Referee Drops Sami Zayn With A Stunner At Live Event

December 30, 2022 • Admin

From both sides! A wrestling match is not a complicated concept. You have (usually) two wrestlers in the ring at once with the match most often ending via pinfall or submission. That is a pretty simple formula, but at the same time there is often a third person in the ring: the referee. While the referee is supposed to be impartial, that is not always going to be the case. Now a referee has gotten involved with a match and changed it in a big way. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Releases Never Before Seen Roman Reigns Match Earlier this week, WWE held a live event in the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. In the show’s main event, Braun Strowman, Ricochet and Kevin Owens teamed up to face the Bloodline. Late in the match, Sami Zayn yelled at referee Jessika Carr, prompting Carr to hit him with a Stunner. Owens then came in and hit another Stunner to win the match for his team. A video of Carr’s Stunner has made its way online. It was a good one. Check out the Stunn..

He Would Know: Sting Reveals (Some) Plans For His Final Match

December 30, 2022 • Admin

He has a plan. There are all kinds of wrestlers throughout history but only a few become legends of the sport. You know these stars when you see them and it can be a lot of fun to watch them keep getting in the ring. However, they all have to hang up their boots at some point and now an active legend is dropping some hints about how he is going to end his amazing career. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Farewell? Wrestling Legend: “I’m Getting Too Old For This S***” AEW’s Sting was interviewed by the Ringer and discussed his retirement plans. While Sting would not go into specifics, he revealed that he had a few people in mind to be involved. Sting did say that Darby Allin would be involved in some way and that his last match would not be a singles match. Sting, 63 years old, debuted in AEW in December 2020 and has wrestled on a part time basis since, always teaming with Allin and occasionally another partner. He has done well in AEW. Check out some of Sting’s time with the company: [This po..

WATCH: WWE Releases Never Before Seen Roman Reigns Match

December 30, 2022 • Admin

Open the vault. WWE has been around for decades now and during their time, they have acquired several video libraries. As a result, WWE owns by far the biggest collection of wrestling footage in history with nothing coming close to it. This allows them to release almost anything they like whenever they choose, and now they are letting you see another match you have probably never seen before. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Farewell? Wrestling Legend: “I’m Getting Too Old For This S***” This week on The Bump, a never before released match between King Corbin and Roman Reigns was aired. The match took place following the February 28, 2022 SmackDown in Boston, Massachusetts. Corbin and his manager John Bradshaw Layfield did commentary from the Bump studios, along with hosts Matt Camp and Kayla Braxton. There is no word on if more unreleased matches will be shown on the Bump in the future. This is pretty cool stuff. Check out the match, plus some more from the two of them: [This post contains ..

Farewell? Wrestling Legend: “I’m Getting Too Old For This S***”

December 30, 2022 • Admin

You have to hang it up sometime. Wrestling is a unique sport in that the wrestlers can have trouble getting out of the industry. Since they are always able to wrestle one more time, it can be easy to stick around that much longer. For other people involved in the industry, getting away is a bit easier, and now a wrestling legend sounds like he is considering wrapping up his career. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: That’s A Hot One: How A Former WWE Star (Literally) Set Backstage On Fire During a recent edition of his What Happened When podcast, AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone talked about how Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the days he travels for AEW, “kind of wear” him out. Schiavone, 65 years old, said that he feels he is “getting too old for this s***” and said that his future is in podcasting and maybe playing video games. At no point did Schiavone say that he was retiring or considering retiring. Schiavone debuted with AEW at its launch and has provided commentary since. Schiavone is a legend. ..

That’s A Hot One: How A Former WWE Star (Literally) Set Backstage On Fire

December 30, 2022 • Admin

It might have been a factor. Wrestlers have come and gone from WWE over the years but only some make an impression. You never know when you are going to see someone in the ring for the last time, but in one case, a wrestler with a unique character was gone after his first match. It turns out there is a very specific reason for his departure and it could have been much worse. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: That’s A Hot One: How A Former WWE Star (Literally) Set Backstage On Fire During a recent edition of Something To Wrestle With, Bruce Prichard told a story about Phantasio, a magician character who wrestled one match on WWE TV in July 1995 before being let go from the company. According to Prichard, prior to his match, Phantasio dropped a bottle of liquid fire in the Gorilla Position, causing the drapes to catch on fire. The company did not know he had a fire spot planned and the accident resulted in Phantasio’s time with the company ending. It was something. Check out Phantasio’s match, p..

Come On Up: WWE Plans To Bring Two NXT Stars To The Main Roster

December 30, 2022 • Admin

They had a plan. NXT is a unique wrestling promotion, as it has its own television show but it is also the official WWE developmental territory. That means the wrestlers’ goal is to move up to the main roster and get out of NXT, no matter how well they have done there in the first place. We might know who WWE has in mind as some of the next callups from NXT to the main roster. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BREAKING: AJ Styles Injured At WWE Live Event, Helped To The Back Earlier this month, WWE released Mandy Rose from the company in a surprise move. The release, reportedly due to a series of risque photos Rose had released online, came less than twenty four hours after Rose lost the NXT Women’s Title to Roxanne Perez. This left Rose’s Toxic Attraction teammates Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne with nothing to do, but according to Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE has plans to bring the two to the main roster without Rose. There is no timetable on when this would take place. The team has potential. C..