Mercedes Moné will only wrestle a handful of times a year for New Japan Pro Wrestling, but fans will see plenty of her in the coming months.
Moné made her debut for New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 17 earlier this month, confronting IWGP Women\’s Champion KAIRI after a title defense against Tam Nakano.
The former Sasha Banks attacked KAIRI after the match and a title match between the two has been set for next month.
Future Plans
Moné hopes to become the second-ever IWGP Women\’s Champion on February 18, but more details are being presented about future matches.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Moné is only contracted for a handful of matches, with her second set for NJPW Sakura Genesis on April 8, at Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
Moné\’s third match will see her compete at a STARDOM event at the Yokohama Arena on April 23.
Other than the Battle in the Valley match, no opponents have been announced for Moné\’s other matches.
It has been reported that New Japan has already planned for a sequel to Moné Vs. KAIRI next month.
Outside the Ring
Reportedly contracted to just a handful of matches a year with New Japan, Moné has plenty of time for non-wrestling projects.
The former Superstar has a budding acting career, having appeared as Koska Reeves in Disney+ hit \’The Mandalorian.\’
Last month, Moné informed her fans on Twitter that she had wrapped up shooting for her first feature film in Boston, MA.
During her hiatus from WWE, the former Raw and SmackDown Women\’s Champion walked the runway for New York Fashion Week alongside fellow wrestler Naomi.
Should women be blading in professional wrestling? Willow Nightingale says yes.
While blood is common in men\’s matches for promotions that allow blood, women\’s wrestling has often gone years if not decades without a single laceration.
That has changed in recent years, though there are some (including Ric Flair) who are opposed to the idea of women blading.
The Tag Match
During the January 13, AEW Rampage, Nightingale teamed with Ruby Soho to face Tay Melo and Anna Jay, which saw plenty of the red viscous liquid.
Speaking on The Sessions, Nightingale recalled the match and the restrictions put in place before the bell rung.
\”We are all very excited to be given the opportunity to do something like this. Anna and Tay have already done this a year ago on Television. They had a lot of fun with it. There are limits, I guess, on how grotesque it\’s allowed to be. I can only speak from my experience. I don\’t know if this is the case with other matches, other tag matches, or men\’s wrestling. I don\’t know what those conversations are like. I only know the conversations that we had and for us, it was that one person from each team was allowed to bleed.
\”We all wanted to get our hands dirty and we all wanted to do crazy stuff.\”
Willow Nightingale.
\”We all wanted to get our hands dirty and we all wanted to do crazy stuff, but we were like \’okay, understood.\’ We didn\’t have to worry about it because Ruby bled enough for everybody. I felt it was awesome, I thought she looked killer. She thought she looked great. She had to get stitched up after and I held her hand as she got injected [with an anesthetic.]\”
The match saw Soho and Nightingale get the win in the main event of Rampage
Backlash
While the match was lauded by many, many fans also criticized the match, arguing that the level of blood wasn\’t fitting for a women\’s division match.
Speaking about the negative response, Nightingale felt fans needed reminding that countless women will bleed once a month, whether they want to or not.
\”We were just really excited about everything and I think if people are getting their panties in a bunch about [women blading in wrestling,] then that\’s the least of your concerns. Like, we bleed every single month. Nobody talks about that, and I\’m sure if that happened [in the match] or if it happened ever on the show, people would make a big deal about that too. You know, If someone was to bleed through their gear.\”
\”If people are getting their panties in a bunch about [women blading in wrestling,] then that\’s the least of your concerns.\”
Willow Nightingale.
\”We bleed the same as men do. We take the same bumps in the ring as they do. We\’re at the same risk so I just don\’t understand why there has to be a double standard about physically seeing blood. Ultimately, it\’s what we signed up for. We were aware of this possibility.\”
Mark Briscoe will still not be allowed to appear for All Elite Wrestling, even after the death of his brother Jay.
Jay Briscoe died in a car accident last week when a vehicle driving the other way swerved onto his lane, mere minutes from Jay’s home in Laurel, Delaware.
Briscoe was 38 at the time of his death, and his daughters, who were in the vehicle at the time, have since undergone surgery.
Controversy
The Briscoes were one of the most popular tag teams of their era but were banned from appearing for AEW.
The decision was made by AEW\’s partners at Warner Bros. Discovery, who did not want the Briscoes given controversial statements from Jay\’s past.
In June 2011, Jay stirred controversy when he tweeted \”a lot of f*gs out in New York today,\” and would share a similar homophobic message following Hurricane Irene.
When the Delaware Senate passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in May 2013, Briscoe said \”try and teach my kids that there\’s nothing wrong with that and I\’ll f*cking shoot you.\”
After considerable backlash, Briscoe explained these comments as his redneck heel character, and did not reflect his personal beliefs on homosexuality.
Briscoe also agreed to donate his full salary from the next two shows to the Partners Against Hate charity.
In 2021, Ian Riccaboni said \”If folks only knew how Jay supports and puts over all talent, specifically LGBTQ+ talent, as a leader in the locker room.\”
Following his death this month, Dave Meltzer said that Briscoe was considered to have completely reformed his views on the LGBTQ+ community, and that he enjoyed the support of LGBTQ+ wrestlers.
Banned from AEW
Though it was Jay who made the comments that saw the Briscoes banned by WBD, his brother Mark will suffer the consequences.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alverez read asked if Mark will be allowed on AEW TV and to join the roster following Jay\’s passing.
\”I already know the answer. The answer is no. Okay? I can\’t tell you more. It could change, but that is the answer.\”
Dave Meltzer.
Both Meltzer and Alverez were evidently frustrated, and Meltzer said he hopes this changes.
This isn\’t what fans had originally expected, as many believed it would have been Reigns Vs. The Rock, but that match is now unlikely to happen.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said there has been talks in WWE about Austin facing Brock Lesnar this April.
\”The match that was pitched was not with Roman Reigns. It was Brock Lesnar, but as you can tell, pretty much from the show tonight [Raw is XXX] it\’s not happening. It\’s not on. Something could happen now [but it\’s not on at this time.]\”
Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer added that talks of Lesnar Vs. Austin is nothing new and was happening backstage as far back as early December when reports broke that Lesnar Vs. GUNTHER was the WrestleMania plan.
\”It\’s been talked about, probably for months. Because I know when they had that Brock Lesnar-GUNTHER thing came up, I was told immediately it\’s not happening, or that\’s not the idea right now. Maybe it\’s going to happen. But the idea [for Lesnar\’s WrestleMania opponent] was a secret. Austin was that secret.\”
Lesnar Vs. Lashley
On last night\’s Raw 30th anniversary episode, Brock Lesnar made his TV return, costing Bobby Lashley a shot at the U.S. title.
On his show, Meltzer said that all signs are pointing to Brock Vs. the All Mighty at WrestleMania.
\”The match is not on. It looks like it\’s going to be Lesnar with Lashley, based on the show tonight. I don\’t have that confirmed if it\’s a WrestleMania match. Obviously, both will likely be in the Rumble, probably feud. Whether that means Montreal where the Pay-Per-View is there [Elimination Chamber 2023] or WrestleMania, I don\’t know, but it seems like it\’s probably something to do with WrestleMania.\”
When speaking about Roman Reigns and a potential match with Austin, Meltzer said we should have a clearer picture after this weekend\’s Royal Rumble.
\”As far as Roman Reigns goes, I don\’t know, but I figure that whatever Roman Reigns\’ situation [for WrestleMania] will be, we will know on Saturday night, based on who wins the Rumble match.\”
Gracie has regained feeling below her knees, after being left with no movement below her waist and no sensations below her knees after the crash.
Her strength is said to be improving after working with physical and occupational therapists, and she was able to assist with her transfer into a wheelchair on Monday afternoon.
Jaleigh\’s feeding tube was removed on Saturday night, and the nine-year-old was allowed to eat as much as she wanted on Sunday.
On Monday, she was able to get out of bed and stand up, and was able to spend some time with her older sister.
After returning to her bed, Jayleigh\’s wound VAC (vacuum-assisted closure) on her abdominal incision was removed.
Mark Briscoe
Mark Briscoe wasn\’t in the vehicle at the time of the crash, but has kept silent to the public since the accident.
In his update, Wharton shared a text message from Mark, reading \”GOD IS ON THE THRONE.\”
Wharton added that he spoke to Mark over the phone on Monday night and described him as \”chipper\” as can be given the circumstances.
Our thoughts remain with the Pugh family at this awful time.
John Cena may have been lambasted by fans for years for his alleged inability to wrestle, but that didn\’t stop him and Shawn Michaels from putting on a classic in 2007.
At that year\’s WrestleMania, Cena retained the WWE Championship against Michaels in the main event, a year after defeating Michaels\’ best friend Triple H at the show.
Meeting in a non-title rematch on the April 23, 2007 edition of Raw, Michaels and Cena wrestled for close to an hour before Shawn got the win with Sweet Chin Music.
Easy
The Cena-Michaels match would go for approximately one hour (including commercial breaks) and is heralded by many as one of the best matches in Raw history.
While speaking on WWE’s The Bump, Michaels recalled the match with the 16-time WWE World Champion.
\”This is the end of the tour and John and I had to go an hour. No, look, there is no better guy to do it with than John, honestly, and I’ll say this — it sounds strange, but because, you know, it’s not a full hour and you feel like in your mind, even though you’re not dealing with commercial breaks, it’s not, it was really easy.\”
Shawn Michaels
Michaels would later face Cena in a fatal four-way at WWE Backlash 2007 (which included Edge and Randy Orton) which Cena would win.
John Cena
It would be a long time before fans would come to appreciate John Cena\’s talents in the ring (with many not doing so to this day.)
Addressing the WWE icon, Michaels called Cena a dream to share the ring with.
\”John is, is such a dream to work with, John and I got along very well. It was a fantastic night and I had a chemistry with John that was darn near effortless … It was absolutely a piece of cake because you know, it was just a lot of fun.”
Shawn Michaels.
Cena is expected to next compete for WWE at WrestleMania 39, with rumored opponents including Austin Theory and Logan Paul.
Factors beyond WWE\’s control led to the Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony scheduled for tonight\’s Raw being scrapped.
The segment was promoted as featuring every generation of the Anoa\’I wrestling family, in a ceremony focussed on Roman Reigns.
Last week, WWE announced that the segment had been replaced with \’The Trial of Sami Zayn.\’
Scrapped
WWE\’s promise of every generation of the Bloodline appearing had fabs excited, but it was a promise the company couldn\’t deliver on.
In an F4WOnline update, Dave Meltzer reported that a series of absences ultimately led to WWE ditching the ceremony.
It is noted that the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) were originally going to play a large part in the ceremony, but neither was going to be able to make it to Raw.
Rikishi, the father of The Usos and Solo Sikoa is dealing with an illness and would not have made the show either.
The report refuted rumors that The Rock not being at Raw led to the segment being scrapped, saying he was never scheduled to appear.
The Trial of Sami Zayn
Instead of an acknowledgment ceremony, the Bloodline will be all business on tonight\’s Raw.
Sami Zayn has been at odds with the group ever since he ate the pin during his and Reigns\’ tag match against Kevin Owens and John Cena on the final SmackDown of 2022.
The match marked the second time in 2022 that Reigns lost a match (the first being by DQ at the Royal Rumble against Seth Rollins.)
While Reigns wasn\’t pinned, the loss to Cena and Owens was the first clean defeat for the Tribal Chief since 2019.
Monday Night Raw. For three decades, the red brand has welcomed wrestling fans every Monday night, with hours upon hours of action.
Tonight, WWE celebrates three decades of the red brand, and we\’ve created a timeline of some essential viewing from Raw\’s three decades of history.
Mr. Perfect Vs. Ric Flair (January 25, 1993)
On the third episode ever, Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair delivered a must-see match for any wrestling fan worth their salt. Perfect\’s trademark Perfect-plex would secure Hennig the victory in this Loser Leaves WWF match and it\’d be eight years before fans saw the Nature Boy again.
WWF Champion Bret Hart Vs. The 1-2-3 Kid (July 11, 1994) The man fans would later know as X-Pac, Sean Waltman was the WWF\’s resident underdog, but that didn\’t stop him from pushing the Hitman to the limit, in what Jim Ross would call one of the greatest matches he\’d ever seen.
Bret Hart Vs. Owen Hart (March 27, 1995) A rematch from their WrestleMania X epic, the Hart brothers once again proved to be wrestling royalty with this No Holds Barred collision. On this occasion, it\’d be Owen who would lose, tapping to his brother\’s Sharpshooter, and Bret\’s reluctance to break the hold would give fans a glimpse to a darker side of the Hitman.
The Undertaker Vs. Mankind (December 9, 1996)
Over a year and a half before their Hell in a Cell classic at King of the Ring 1998, Mankind and the Phenom gave fans a taste of what was to come in 1996. Meeting in No Holds Barred, the Undertaker emerged victorious, and even a random appearance by The Executioner post-match couldn\’t spoil this forgotten classic.
Owen Hart Vs. The British Bulldog (March 3, 1997)
Brothers-in-law and the WWF Tag Champions, these connections didn\’t stop Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith fighting tooth and nail to become the first European Champion. Fittingly taking place in Europe (Berlin, Germany to be exact) it was Bulldog who made history with a reversed roll-up.
WWF Champion Kane Vs. \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin (June 28, 1998) One night after winning the very-first First Blood match, new WWF Champion Kane accepted a challenge for a rematch from Stone Cold. Kane\’s reign may have ended after just one day, but he and the Rattlesnake had one of the greatest title matches in Raw history.
WWF Champion The Rock Vs. Mankind (January 4, 1999) The same day as the Fingerpoke of doom which drove a nail in the coffin of WCW, Mick Foley\’s dream culminated on Raw with his WWF title win. Throw in the talented Rock, DX and \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin, and this match certainly put \’butts in seats.\’
WWF Champion Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho (April 17, 2000)
A controversial finish saw Chris Jericho become WWF Champion less than a year into his tenure with the company. The decision would not stand for long, but it was an epic night that showed Jericho knew how to play the Game.
WWF World Tag Team Champions \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin & Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit (May 21, 2001)
The infamous match where Triple H suffered his first quad tear, this bout may not be for the squeamish, but the four men put on an excellent match. The fact that Triple H toughened it out and completed the match after the tear makes this an all time classic.
WWE Undisputed Champion The Undertaker Vs. Jeff Hardy (June 1, 2002)
Meeting in Hardy\’s speciality, the Ladder match, it was the Deadman who was at a disadvantage on this night. That didn\’t stop the American Badass from retaining, but it was Hardy who left with the respect of the Phenom and the fans.
World Heavyweight Champion Triple H Vs. Kane (June 23, 2003) For years, fans wondered what Kane looked like under his mask, and on this fateful 2003 night, they got the answer. In this mask vs. title match, Triple H left with all the prizes, and it\’d be RVD who\’d feel Kane\’s wrath post-match inside MSG.
Shelton Benjamin Vs. Triple H (March 29, 2004) Mere days after being drafted to Raw, established tag-team wrestler Shelton Benjamin looked to make a huge first impression by facing Triple H. Fresh off losing the World Championship at WrestleMania 20, fans expected the Game to win, but it was all about the Benjamins on this night.
John Cena, Hulk Hogan & Shawn Michaels Vs. Christian, Chris Jericho & Tyson Tomko (June 27, 2005)
Our only six-man-tag match on this list, this match is worth viewing for the dream-team of Hogan, Michaels, and Cena. The three generations of top guys made for an epic main event trio in 2005.
WWE Champion Rob Van Dam Vs. Edge Vs. John Cena (July 3, 2006)
Oh RVD! It was all going so well for Mr. PPV until he was pulled over by police and arrested. Van Dam\’s brief reign as WWE Champion ended on this night, but at least fans got to see an epic triple threat and a title change on Raw.
WWE Champion John Cena Vs. Shawn Michaels (April 23, 2007) John Cena\’s third must-see match in a row (not bad for a guy who apparently can\’t wrestle.) This non-title match started like any other, but as the match went on, fans knew this was special. A rematch from WrestleMania 23, Michaels got the win over Cena after close to an hour, proving Sweet Chin Music can come from nowhere.
Jeff Hardy Vs. Umaga (January 7, 2008)
The first Raw of 2007 would help set the tone for a huge year as two of the red brand\’s most talented stars faced off in a cage. The ever-popular Hardy\’s dive off the top of the cage would seal the deal and somehow make Jeff even more beloved by fans.
Chris Jericho & The Big Show Vs. Triple H & Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker & John Cena (November 16, 2009)
A match with six of WWE\’s biggest ever Superstars, it was fitting that this bout happened inside Madison Square Garden. Cena and the Deadman may have gotten the win, but the post-match Tombstone on Big Match John proved that the Phenom was not there to make friends.
WWE Champion The Miz Vs. Jerry Lawler (November 30, 2010)
Meeting in a TLC match of all things, this bout seemed on paper to be the creation of a WWE 2K game gone wrong. Instead, Lawler held his own against the Miz in this title match, and would\’ve won if not for Michael Cole. Not bad for the King, who had turned 60 just one day before the match.
Rey Mysterio Vs. The Miz (July 25, 2011) Sure, Rey winning the vacant WWE Championship wasn\’t a long reign, as he would lose the title to John Cena later in the show, but he and Miz put on a worthy title match and gave the fans a feel-good moment with one of WWE\’s most beloved Superstars.
CM Punk Vs. Daniel Bryan (February 28, 2012)
A meeting of the WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion, this would have meant a lot no matter who was in the ring. The fact that this was two guys who had been told they\’d never make it in WWE was the icing on the cake. Oh, and the match is great too!
John Cena Vs. CM Punk (February 25, 2013)
CM Punk\’s reign as WWE Champion being ended by a part-timer irked fans for valid reasons, but his quest to regain the title gave us this fantastic match. Fans were wowed to see a piledriver on WWE TV in 2013, and though Punk didn\’t earn a title match, this was a fitting epilogue on his epic reign.
Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns Vs. Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan (March 3, 2014)
Like their match at Elimination Chamber (which received \’this is awesome\’ chants before a single punch was thrown) The Shield Vs. the Wyatts II lived up to lofty expectations. After teases of dissension, this match proved the Hounds of Justice were stronger than ever, if only for a few more months…
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins Vs. Neville (August 3, 2015)
Responding to John Cena\’s U.S. title open challenge, Seth Rollins laid out an open challenge of his own. While Neville (now PAC) didn\’t leave with the gold, the gasp of excitement when fans thought he\’d won with the Red Arrow makes this match worth seeing.
WWE Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Sasha Banks (July 25, 2016)
The first Monday Night Raw of the post-draft era, fans were treated to seeing Sasha Banks capture the WWE Women\’s Championship from the Queen. Banks was massively popular with fans at the time, and her win was a sign that she had arrived on the main roster.
WWE Raw Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Bayley (February 13, 2017)
If Sasha Banks was popular at the time of her title win the prior year, then Bayley was a supernova of over with her 2017 victory. Dispatching of Dana Brooke at ringside, Bayley\’s win would be the feel-good moment of the year.
\’Woken\’ Matt Hardy Vs. Bray Wyatt (March 19, 2018)
At a tine when WWE was arguably it\’s most stale, Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt shook things up with the Ultimate Deletion. A drone, a lake and reincarnation and a cameo by Reby Hardy makes this one of the most bizarre, but must-see matches in Raw history.
Rey Mysterio Vs. Cesaro (May 13, 2019)
No titles were needed in this instant classic, which with no gold and no stipulation, has gone overlooked by fans. From the high-flying of Rey to Cesaro\’s incredible counters, this match is just one whole match of highlights.
WWE Champion Randy Orton Vs. Drew McIntyre (November 16, 2020)
Drew McIntyre\’s emotional return to WWE culminated with his WrestleMania 36 WWE Title win, albeit in front of zero fans. McIntyre carried WWE through unprecedented times, and was rewarded with his second title win on Raw in the Thunderdome. Here\’s hoping he one day gets that big win in front of a real crowd.
Seth Rollins Vs. Finn Balor Vs. Kevin Owens Vs. Rey Mysterio (October 25, 2021)
A fatal-four-way ladder match? On Raw?! Yes please! Four of WWE\’s most popular stars in recent years met in a truly stacked main event. Not only did the right person win (but we won\’t spoil who) everybody had their chance to shine in this ladder match.
Raw Tag Team Champions Chad Gable & Otis Vs. Randy Orton & Matt Riddle Vs. Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins (March 7, 2022)
Not just a fantastic match in 2022, but this may hold the distinction as the best Raw opener ever! Three incredibly over teams showing just how good a Raw tag team division can be. RK-Bro\’s victory and regaining the Raw Tag Titles was the perfect call!
Two-time WWE Grand Slam Champion The Miz has lauded praise on Stephanie McMahon following the latter\’s departure from the promotion.
Stephanie parted ways with WWE earlier this month, after being appointed co-CEO in July of last year.
McMahon\’s resignation was confirmed the same day that her father Vince McMahon was appointed WWE\’s new Executive Chairman.
The Miz
Given her decades with WWE, the wrestling world has been shocked by McMahon\’s resignation this month.
When TMZ caught up with The Miz, the A-Lister spoke about McMahon\’s work in WWE and as a person.
\”For me, she\’s always been one of the people you can talk to. She\’s done a lot for the company, and she\’s a really good person as well.\”
The Miz
The A-Lister also spoke about the role of WWE Superstars, which despite the chaos at the very top of the company, remains unchanged.
\”Whoever is at the head at the time, we\’re just trying to do our job as WWE Superstars to make people happy and give them something to remember.\”
The Miz
Releases Coming?
Vince McMahon\’s return to WWE has led some talent fearful that mass cuts will resume, especially with the promotion looking for a buyer.
At the time of the releases from 2020 to 2022, many speculated that WWE were trying to look even more profitable to buyers at a time they were already boasting record profits.
Karrion Kross has refuted the idea that talent are worrying about their futures, saying those he has spoken to are not concerned.
The legendary career of the Great Muta has officially come to an end with the character\’s final match this past weekend.
Muta is the most famed and successful character of Keiji Muto, who debuted the character in the NWA in March 1989 as the kayfabe son of the Great Kabuki.
The Great Muta would find success in New Japan Pro Wrestling and WCW and would become IWGP Heavyweight Champion in August 1992.
Final Match
For the past few months, Keiji Muto has been undergoing a retirement tour, with his 38-year career set to end next month.
Last night, Muto competed as The Great Muta for the final time at the appropriately named Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event in Yokohama Arena.
The legendary wrestler teamed with long-time rival Sting and fellow AEW star Darby Allin to defeat Hakushi, AKIRA, and Naomichi Marufuji.
The match ended with Muta hitting a Shining Wizard knee on Hakushi for the pinfall win, after Sting and Allin had hit their own finishers.
With Muta now a thing of the past, Keiji Muto’s final match will be against Tetsuya Naito on February 21.
Could WWE fans see Bobby Lashley\’s Hurt Lock Vs. Chris Masters\’ Master Lock, 16 years after the two last did battle?
When Masters debuted on WWE\’s main roster in 2005, he put away countless opponents with his take on the Full Nelson, and would have a weekly \’Masterlock Challenge.\’
On the March 19, 2007, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Lashley broke the Master Lock on his road to the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23.
Lashley Vs. Masters
After returning to WWE in 2018, it wasn\’t long until Lashley adopted the Full Nelson himself, calling the move the Hurt Lock.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times this past week, Lashley spoke about the possibility of facing Masters again, possibly as soon as this Saturday\’s Royal Rumble.
\”I think if he has an opportunity to come back, I think that would be a really cool showcase. Whether it happens at the Rumble, you never know. The Rumble always has surprises. I think Chris has kind of proved himself in the professional wrestling world.\”
Bobby Lashley.
Since leaving WWE in 2011, Masters has worked for TNA/Impact Wrestling, GFW, and the NWA, and is a two-time NWA National Champion.
Breaking the Lock
Masters has not been confirmed for an appearance at the Royal Rumble and has instead stated that he will likely not be competing this weekend.
Sorry to say I have not been contacted for The Rumble and will almost certainly not be taking part at this point.
In the interview, Lashley said that if somehow, the two do cross paths this Saturday, he is ready to break the Master Lock for the second time.
\”If he comes back, you know what I would do? I\’d literally just turn around and put my hands out and tell him to put it on me again. Then I\’d ask him to do the same. And I guarantee you he\’s not breaking out of The Hurt Lock.\”
While initially claimed that McMahon\’s return was solely to oversee a sale of WWE, the 77-year-old has since been appointed \’Executive Chairman.\’
Fear
In the final years of McMahon\’s first era as head of WWE, the company undertook mass releases of talent, with Kross one of the names cut in 2021.
With McMahon back, it has been reported that talent are concerned that it will be just a matter of time before these mass layoffs to the roster happen again.
Speaking with the San Antonio Express-News, Kross dismissed the idea that McMahon\’s comeback has Superstars shaking in their boots.
“It’s in my news feeds, it’s everywhere. It’s inescapable at this point. But the people that I have spoken to about it, like my personal friends in the business, no one’s really concerned or afraid for their job.
\”All of us are ready to adapt…. I think everyone’s just taking it day by day to see where everything lands, and we’re all trying to remain optimistic.”
Karrion Kross.
Kross, who was released in November 2021 alongside his wife Scarlett, was one of the first names Triple H rehired after becoming head of Talent Relations.
WWE Sale
WWE has not cut any names from its roster in 2023 thus far, but it could happen as talks of a sale of the promotion ramp up.
The cuts to the roster in 2020, 2021, and 2022, came at a time when the promotion was boasting record profits.
Many at the time felt that these cuts were to make those profit margins even bigger, and therefore look more appealing to a potential buyer.
Names reportedly interested in purchasing WWE include Comcast, FOX, Disney, Netflix, Amazon, the Saudi Arabia PIF, and Shahid & Tony Khan.
Dave Millican is the genius behind several wrestling titles, but the legendary belt-maker has his favorite.
Millican is the man behind titles that have appeared in WWE, AAA, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and many other promotions.
His work has also seen Millican create championship titles for the world of professional boxing and MMA.
Favorite
With so many promotions and championships to his name, it must be hard for Millican to pick a stand-out title.
On Talk is Jericho though, the belt maker chose the AEW World Championship as his favorite in wrestling today.
\”My favorite — in terms of making a statement, of making an impact — is the AEW title. I legitimately believe that the AEW title is the best-looking belt on television.
\”The AEW title is the best-looking belt on television.\”
Dave Millican.
\”To me, that one stands out, and it’s not just the convenient answer, or the politically correct answer because I would tell you the truth. I’ve made a lot of belts I don’t care for because that’s just what somebody paid me to do. But I think that one stands out.“
The AEW World Champion was first seen in 2019 when Bret \’Hitman\’ Hart revealed the title at All Out that year.
The title is currently held by MJF, who is in his first reign with the title after defeating Jon Moxley at Full Gear 2022.
MJF\’s reign has seen the first edited version of the AEW World Championship, as the Devil has introduced a Burberry strap to replace the standard black leather design.
Recent departures from WWE were all the roster could talk about backstage at this week\’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
Earlier this week, it was reported that WWE is in the process of laying off several staff members, all of which are from the corporate side.
There is no word yet on how many people have been let go, or whether the layoffs are still ongoing.
These layoffs have taken place despite (now former CEO) Stephanie McMahon saying in a meeting earlier this month that little would change following Vince McMahon\’s return to WWE.
SmackDown
No WWE Superstars have been laid off (at this time) but these office cuts were a huge talking point this week.
Fightful Select reports that these layoffs were a \”big topic of conversation\” and many were surprised to learn that Adam Hopkins was gone.
Hopkins had worked for WWE for 25 years and was a Vice President of Communications before his departure this month.
It remains unclear whether Hopkins\’ departure was a resignation or whether he was fired by the company.
Talent Cuts
While no Superstars have been released since McMahon\’s departure, many feel it is just a matter of time before this happens.
On Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this month, Dave Meltzer noted that talent are worried that Vince McMahon’s return will see more mass layoffs.
When WWE was laying off talent in droves, starting with the April 15, 2020 cuts, it was suggested that the company was looking to boost profit margins and look more desirable to a potential buyer.
Chris Jericho was part of some iconic moments from Monday Night Raw, so it is only fitting that he is featured in a promo for the upcoming Raw is XXX show.
Tomorrow\’s Raw will mark the 30th anniversary of the red brand which launched back on January 11, 1993.
Several Hall of Famers are confirmed for the show, including Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho will (likely) not be appearing at tomorrow\’s celebration, but he was featured in a video promoting the show.
In the promo, footage from Jericho\’s WWF debut from 1999 is used.
Addressing WWE using footage of him, the AEW star had no issue with this, saying that good pro wrestling transcends any given company, and is about making memories.
Pro wrestling transcends any given company. Pro wrestling is about memories….and this video contains some LEGENDARY ones! #WWERawhttps://t.co/zRFk9Mpxtb
— Chris Jericho (Social Media Team Managed) (@IAmJericho) January 21, 2023
Other AEW talent including Mark Henry and Bryan Danielson were also featured in the promotional video.
Raw\’s 30th-anniversary show will air from the sold-out Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will be the go-home Raw before the Royal Rumble.
Raw is Jericho
Debuting on the August 9, 1999, episode of Monday Night Raw, Jericho didn\’t waste time making an impression, interrupting The Rock, and holding his own on the mic with the Great One.
Less than a year later, the now-face Jericho dethroned Triple H for the WWF title, but the controversial title change was later reversed and nullified.
In 2012, after over a year away, Jericho would make his return to WWE on the first Raw of the new year, and would unveil his popular \’The List of Jericho\’ on Raw in September 2016.
In early 2017, Raw would see the \’Festival of Friendship\’ in which Jericho would be betrayed by Kevin Owens.
New Japan\’s Wrestle Kingdom event was almost \’Phenomenal\’ this year as AJ Styles nearly made it onto the show.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 took place on January 4, and saw talent from New Japan, STARDOM, All Elite Wrestling, and WWE compete at the event.
Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena took place yesterday and featured a tribute to the late Jay Briscoe.
AJ Styles
WWE\’s Karl Anderson competed at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, but the Machine Gun nearly had some back-up at the event.
Fightful Select reports that there was a time in 2022 that New Japan was planning on Styles appearing on-screen at the event.
Rocky Romero told Fightful\’s Wrestling Perspective Podcast that the WWE Superstar himself thought it would be a \”cool idea.\”
Romero added that he believes if it was up to Styles, he likely would have been in the Tokyo Dome.
It was also clarified that there were never any official plans for Styles to appear at Wrestle Kingdom.
Any hopes for the Phenomenal One to appear at the Tokyo Dome ended when Styles broke his ankle the week before the show.
Fightful adds that Doc Gallows also did not make the trip to Japan, which is said to have been a New Japan call.
AJ Styles at Wrestle Kingdom
As part of a crossover between NJPW and TNA Wrestling in 2008, Styles represented the latter at Wrestle Kingdom 2, teaming with Christian Cage and Petey Williams to defeat RISE (Milano Collection AT, Minoru, and Prince Devitt.)
At Wrestle Kingdom 9, Styles would defeat Tetsuya Naito and would unsuccessfully challenge IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016.
Hours after that match, news broke that Styles had given his notice to NJPW, and he debuted for WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble later that month.
There has been some much-needed positive news for the Pugh family after the tragedy of earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Jay Briscoe died in a car accident, mere minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware.
The accident occurred when another driver (who was also killed in the accident) careened onto the lane Briscoe was using.
Daughters
Briscoe\’s two daughters, Jayleigh (9) and Gracie (12) were both in the vehicle at the time of the accident, and have both undergone surgery.
On Facebook, Josh Wharton, a family friend of the Pughs, said that both have been making improvements.
\”Jayleigh, 9, has had pain on and off today. She was fitted for her back brace and sat up on the side of the bed with assistance from staff. She was moved into a wheelchair for about an hour. Unfortunately, she still has the NG tube in place and is unable to eat or drink at this time. They are hoping that tomorrow they can take the tube out so she can eat some real food. She’s still on IV medications and spends most of her days sleeping.”
“Gracie, 12, had a rough night with lots of tingling and itching in her lower legs. Today, she started the day with occupational therapy and she has regained feeling in her lower extremities. She is also able to make movements in her lower extremities. She was able to make small movements with her legs by using her thigh muscle. We are so grateful, she was up in a wheelchair multiple times, which she enjoys. All of Gracie’s IV medications have been discontinued at this time and she has been switched over to oral pain medicine. She is still groggy from all the medication and lots of sleeping.\”
“At this time, rehab is recommended for both girls. Although both girls have improvements today, they both have a long road of recovery ahead of them.”
A fundraiser for the Pugh family smashed two of its goals and surpassed $200,000.
Talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH came together to share their respect for Jay Briscoe, days after his death this week.
Briscoe died on Tuesday due to a car accident, mere minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware.
The accident also killed the other driver, while Jay\’s daughters, who were in his vehicle at the time, have required surgery.
Wrestle Kingdom 17 Tribute
Today, NJPW has hosted their second night of Wrestle Kingdom 17, featuring talent from their promotion and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Opening up the main card, both rosters walked to the ring, with Naomichi Marufuji and Hiroshi Tanahashi holding portraits of Jay.
After a ten-bell salute, \”Reach for the sky, boy\” played through Yokohama Arena.
Briscoe competed for both NJPW and NOAH throughout his career, and held gold in both companies with his brother Mark.
Other Tributes
New Japan and NOAH are just two of the various promotions to pay tribute to the late Briscoe.
After this week\’s AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan\’s promotion hosted a tribute show that has been shared on Ring of Honor\’s YouTube channel.
During the beginning of this week\’s episode of IMPACT TV, an “In Memory Of” graphic was shown with Tom Hannifan narrating and sending condolences to his family.
On Twitter, the NWA shared a photo of the Briscoes winning the Crockett Cup and described Jay as an \”amazingly talented man.\”
During WWE NXT, Vic Joseph offered the brand\’s condolences to Jay\’s family, while Michael Cole expressed a similar sentiment during last night\’s episode of SmackDown on FOX.
His deal with the McMahon-led promotion comes after he confirmed last summer that he would not be re-signing with NJPW, ending his four years with the promotion.
WWE NXT
At the WWE NXT live event in Fort Pierce, Florida, Fredericks made his debut, confronting Axiom in the ring.
Fredricks\’ demeanor garnered boos from the crowd, and teased saying something, but left without saying a word.
Footage of Fredericks\’ debut was later shared by WWE on its Instagram Stories.
In 2018, Fredericks entered New Japan\’s LA Dojo along with Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin, and would represent the Dojo the following year in the NJPW Young Lion Tournament.
Fredericks would win the 2019 tournament with a total of 12 points and would team with Hirooki Goto that same year in the World Tag League.
In August 2020, Fredericks competed in the inaugural New Japan USA Cup Tournament, with the winner earning an IWGP United States Heavyweight Title shot, but lost to KENTA in the first round.
The next year, Fredericks challenged Tom Lawlor for the Strong Openweight Championship but came up short.
Fredericks was first spotted at the WWE Performance Center in September 2022, a month after his deal with New Japan expired.
Interestingly, Fredricks said that he did not see himself going to any other company than New Japan prior to his contract expiring.
Vince McMahon\’s return has led to claims from the promotion that nothing would change, but there\’s been yet another example of this not being the case.
McMahon returned to WWE\’s board of directors earlier this month, less than six months after his retirement in July of last year.
The 77-year-old billionaire has since been appointed Executive Chairman of WWE, replacing his daughter Stephanie in the role.
Cuts Cuts Cuts
From 2020 to McMahon\’s departure in 2022, WWE experiences massive waves of cuts to both on-screen talent and those working behind the scenes.
The previous releases were always described as being \”budget cuts\” by WWE, but no explanation for this latest wave of layoffs has been given.
There is currently no confirmation on how many names will be laid off or who has been released from the promotion thus far.
Are Talent Next?
Sapp\’s report made it clear that these current cuts are sole to office staff, but many believe that talent releases are coming.
On Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this month, Dave Meltzer noted that talent are worried that Vince McMahon\’s return will see more mass layoffs.
At the time of the talent cuts, it was suggested that WWE was attempting to \’trim the fat\’ and boost its profits to look more appealing to a potential buyer.
McMahon\’s return to WWE has been to oversee the sale of the promotion, with names including Comcast, FOX, Netflix, and the Saudi Arabia PIF being considered possible buyers.
Could CM Punk make a shocking return to WWE, over nine years after his departure from the promotion?
In January 2014, Punk walked out of WWE following that year\’s Royal Rumble and was released from the promotion that June.
The former World Champion was sent his termination papers on his wedding day, timing that Vince McMahon later said was merely coincidental and apologized for.
WWE Return
With Punk still suspended from AEW due to the All Out brawl, questions remain as to his future with AEW.
Speaking on his \’Oh You Didn\’t Know\’ podcast, WWE\’s Senior Vice President of Live Events \’Road Dogg\’ Jesse James weighed in on whether Punk could return.
“Never say never with these guys. They will give you a second chance. [WWE] will give you an opportunity if it’s business savvy, and bringing him back might be. The reason it might be is because he’s a needle mover.”
\’Road Dogg\’ Jesse James.
Punk has had a hostile relationship with WWE following in the years since his walkout, but did appear for WWE Backstage, though his contract at the time was with FOX.
Unhappy Roster
CM Punk could (in theory) return to WWE, but if so, he shouldn\’t expect a warm response.
It has been reported that there are some who \”absolutely do not want\” Punk back, believing he would just bring the same attitude that has inflicted his AEW run.
A return to AEW won\’t be much better for Punk either, with top talent refusing to work with him if he is brought back by Tony Khan.
There is a group, said to be led by former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho, which is working to prevent his return to the All-Elite promotion.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Cody was not 100% medically cleared by WWE when his entry into the Rumble match was announced.
WWE was confident that Rhodes would be cleared, with the Observer saying that the process of his medical clearing being confirmed was just a \”formality.\”
This year will mark Rhodes\’ ninth Rumble match and his first since 2016 when he competed as Stardust.
Favorite?
With his impressive recovery and his WWE booking since WrestleMania 38, many consider Rhodes a favorite to win the Men\’s Rumble match.
The odds of Rhodes winning have increased given reports that The Rock is not expected to compete at this year\’s WrestleMania and ergo, the Royal Rumble.
Sami Zayn is being considered a dark horse favorite by some to set up his inevitable split from the Bloodline.
The fate of CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling remains hanging in the balance, with Tony Khan yet to make a decision on the problematic star.
Punk has not appeared for AEW since September\’s All Out due to his comments on the post-show media scrum and his involvement in the backstage fight.
The two-time former AEW World Champion remains the only person suspended following the fallout from All Out to remain suspended.
Decisions, Decisions
Given Punk\’s lengthy hiatus, many believe his time with the promotion is up, but that is not the case just yet.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that it is \”months away\” from when Tony Khan will have to make a decision on whether to keep Punk under contract.
Those on Punk\’s side believe that Khan has put Punk \”on ice\” for the time being, with no plans to use him at this time.
The belief is also that there has been \”no talk at all\” as of late to release him either.
Tony Khan has repeatedly refused to comment on Punk or the All Out backstage fight when asked in various interviews.
Friends and Enemies
Punk\’s actions following AEW All Out have split the locker room, with many believing he should be fired from the promotion.
It is also reported that Chris Jericho is part of a group that is trying to prevent Punk\’s return to the company.
The Chicago-Made wrestler does have some allies, including Dax Harwood, who defended Punk and praised his work on the premiere episode of his FTR podcast.
Plans for The Rock to compete at this year\’s WrestleMania are seemingly on the back burner, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The Rock hasn\’t competed for WWE since 2016, when he got a six-second victory over Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32.
It has been rumored for some time that the Great One would be returning this year to face his cousin and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
The Rock
Reigns Vs. Rock is certainly a match worthy of headlining WrestleMania, but is unlikely to happen this year.
Dave Meltzer reports that The Rock has informed WWE that he does not believe he has enough time to get in adequate shape for WrestleMania.
Unless The Rock changes his mind within the next few days, a match between himself and Reigns won\’t happen this year.
The report adds that even if a match doesn\’t happen this year, he remains open to doing something with WWE in the future.
It is added that Rock\’s involvement with next weekend\’s Royal Rumble is \”considered less likely than a few months ago.\”
Meltzer also suggests the possibility that there is \”something\” being kept from everyone backstage.
Backup
The Rock may not be competing at this year\’s WrestleMania after all, but WWE still has a plan without the People\’s Champion.
In the Observer, Meltzer writes that WWE \”has always had a backup direction\” and always knew that The Rock was never a guarantee.
Without The Rock, the arguable favorite to win the Men\’s Rumble match is Cody Rhodes, whose return was announced during RAW.
WWE Superstar Naomi\’s return to the promotion is just a matter of time, according to one higher-up with the promotion.
Naomi walked out with Sasha Banks (now NJPW\’s Mercedes Moné) during the May 16, 2022, episode of Monday Night Raw, over a creative dispute with Vince McMahon.
Naomi and Mone felt that the planned feuds they were going to be in for the Raw and SmackDown Women\’s Championships devalued the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Titles they had won at WrestleMania 38.
Confident
It is far too late for WWE to get Moné but there\’s still time to win over Naomi.
One WWE higher-up who spoke to Fightful Select said they are \”confident\” she will be returning to the promotion.
The report adds that prior to the May 2022 walkout, Naomi\’s contract was coming up and that she and WWE were excited for her to sign a new deal.
The new contract Naomi was on the cusp of signing was likely the biggest money deal the former SmackDown Women\’s Champion had ever seen from WWE.
Naomi has reportedly kept positive contact with WWE despite the walkout and some have speculated that she could be part of next week\’s Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony (as she is married to Jimmy Uso.)
The higher-up who is confident of her return did not provide a timeline for when fans can expect Naomi back on TV.
Naomi Outside of WWE
It has been over seven months since Naomi walked out, but she has been busy in this time.
In September 2022, Naomi and Moné walked the runway for New York Fashion Week, a first for both women.
The pair also appeared at the premieres for Marvel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and walked the (green) carpet for the premiere of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
The Glow made the trip to Japan earlier this month to watch Moné\’s debut for New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 17.