After becoming the first woman to sign with AEW, Baker would go on to become the first woman to win an AEW match, defeating Nyla Rose, Kylie Rae, and Awesome Kong, in fatal-four-way action at Double or Nothing 2019.
A legitimate concussion suffered at AEW Fight for the Fallen that July sparked a feud between herself and Bea Priestly (now WWE\’s Blair Davenport) leading to a match on the Full Gear pre-show which Baker would win.
Turning heel in January 2020, Baker would suffer a leg injury that forced her to miss much of 2020, and would return at All Out to lose to Big Swole that September.
Baker\’s breakout performance would come on the March 17, 2021 AEW Dynamite, where she lost to Thunder Rosa in the critically-acclaimed Lights Out match.
Despite the loss, Baker\’s momentum was undeniable, and would win the AEW Women\’s World Championship at Double or Nothing 2021, and won the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation Women\’s Tournament at the following year\’s event.
This Wednesday will see Baker team with her ally and current AEW Women\’s World Champion Jamie Hayter to face Saraya and Toni Storm, in the former Paige\’s second match with AEW.
This year\’s Money in the Bank will be all about the pounds and not about dollar bills given the show\’s location.
Last week, it was announced that WWE will host Money in the Bank 2023, the 14th annual event, at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This will mark the first time the event has ever taken place outside of the United States.
Why London?
Following the massive success of WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, many assumed that another major UK event would be coming in the future.
Contrary to Clash at the Castle though, which took place in the giant Allegiant Stadium, WWE Money in the Bank 2023 will take place in the smaller O2 Arena.
WWE sources who spoke to Fightful Select said how the decision to host the show at the arena would practically guarantee a sell-out of one of WWE\’s \’big five\’ events.
One WWE source said that they view O2 Arena as the \”MSG of England\” and it was a venue they wanted to travel to.
While WWE co-CEO Nick Khan was credited for many of the dates, locations and venues used by WWE in 2022, the company\’s deal with the O2 Arena is being called a \”collaborative effort.\”
Money in the Bank
It wasn\’t too long ago that reports circulated of WWE scrapping the Money in the Bank event and hosting the two titular ladder matches on the two nights of WrestleMania.
Another source who spoke to Fightful said that running an event in the O2 Arena helps establish the importance of MITB as one of their biggest events of the year.
When asked about the rumors of Money in the Bank being ended, that source said that this was not seriously considered.
This source added that no booking plans are set for WWE Money in the Bank 2023.
Chris Jericho has now added yet another promotion to his impressive collection by showing up at Pro Wrestling Guerilla\’s Battle of Los Angeles.
Alongside the entire roster of the Jericho Appreciation Society, the former World Champion teamed with Sammy Guevara, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Daniel Garcia, who is the reigning PWG World Champion
The Jericho Appreciation Society would face Jonathan Gresham, Evil Uno, SB Kento, Michael Oku, and Kevin Blackwood in a 10-man tag bout.
Jericho\’s debut for PWG proved to be a successful one, with the leader of the JAS getting the pinfall on Blackwood after hitting the Judas Effect.
Dave Meltzer\’s live notes on the match called it \”super entertaining\” and that the crowd and wrestlers treated it as a \”major match, all action.\”
Meltzer added that there was a slow-motion spot for minutes until Jericho started chopping Oku hard, and called Oku and Jericho the highlight of the match.
Jericho gave Blackwood multiple near-falls on him before hitting the Judas Effect.
After the Match
Jericho and his team were victorious, but the former AEW and WWE World Champion had plenty to say after the match.
Saying that they had a \”f***ing blast,\” Jericho added that PWG is \”the modern-day ECW,\” noting the passion of the fans and the lack of guard rails.
Jericho added that PWG, like ECW has a great atmosphere that allows indie wrestlers to hone their skills in front of a rabid crowd.
AEW’s Kyle O’Reilly has opened up about his recovery and the post-surgery issues that he’s had to deal with.
O’Reilly, a former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion, in December 2021 as he opted not to resign his contract, and debuted for AEW weeks later.
His arrival in AEW saw O’Reilly reunite with Adam Cole and Bobby Fish, members of NXT’s Undisputed Era, and briefly formed the Undisputed Elite with the Young Bucks.
Surgery
O’Reilly’s most recent match for AEW came in June of last year, where after winning a battle royal, lost to Jon Moxley in a AEW World Championship qualifying match for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.
In early September, O’Reilly posted an image to his Instagram story of himself laying in a hospital bed, and hinted that he had undergone neck fusion surgery.
Taking to Instagram this week, O’Reilly spoke about how it is a cliché, but he plans on this new year seeing a new him.
The 35-year-old wrestler added that he has been “dealing with a post-surgical issue” and promised to explain more later.
O’Reilly also spoke about living with diabetes and thanked those who have supported him change his approach to his condition and “hop off the blood sugar roller coaster.”
In an interview with Beyond Type 1 last October, O’Reilly said that this was his first “significant injury” throughout his 17-year wrestling career.
O’Reilly said that he will be using the time to evaluate himself so that he can come back better than ever, and be an overall better athlete.
Neither O’Reilly nor AEW have disclosed when fans can expect him back, but those who have dealt with neck-fusion surgery in the past have missed anywhere from nine months to a year of in-ring time.
O’Reilly’s Undisputed Era ally Bobby Fish left AEW last year and has since joined with Impact Wrestling.
What can be said about this man that hasn\’t already been said?
While his contributions to the world of wrestling and sports cannot be understated, to many, he is a cutthroat business mogul who will ruin lives to get his way.
In the ring, McMahon holds shocking victories over the likes of The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Bobby Lashley and even John Cena.
But for as compelling (often in a car-wreck-esque way) as McMahon\’s matches can be, they\’re nothing compared to his work out of the ring.
McMahon has proven himself to be a fighter, and here are Vince\’s biggest wins that took place out of the ring.
5: Survivor Series Triumphs over WarGames
Threatened by McMahon, Pay-Per-View providers opted to host Survivor Series 1987 over NWA\’s Starrcade.
In 1987, WWE introduced their new November Pay-Per-View, Survivor Series, following the success of WrestleMania 3.
The November date was picked as it was a good middle-ground between WrestleManias 3 and 4, but that wasn\’t the only reason.
The same night as Survivor Series, the NWA were hosting their own major event of the year \’Starrcade\’ and this led McMahon to launch into an attack.
In what McMahon himself has called nothing more than a direct threat, the then-WWF Chairman informed Pay-Per-View providers that if they aired Starrcade, then they would be banned from hosting WrestleMania 4 and all future WWF events.
Almost every Pay-Per-View provider relented, and only a handful aired Starrcade, in what would be a very special Thanksgiving night for the McMahon family.
4: WrestleMania
WrestleMania 1 in 1985 would be arguably the biggest risk in McMahon\’s life, but it would certainly pay off.
Today, WrestleMania is an internationally known name and hosts the very top names in wrestling and entertainment.
There\’s a reason why WrestleMania tickets sell out so fast, but in 1985, the show was McMahon\’s biggest gamble.
Realising that times were changing, McMahon invested heavily in the concept of Pay-Per-View, and if urban legends are to be believed, even put his house down as collateral for the show.
Had WrestleMania 1 flopped, the WWF would have struggled to recover, and McMahon would have forever been tarnished as the man who tried and failed to force change.
Instead, WrestleMania 1 was a hit, and would add fuel to McMahon\’s burning desire to do better, and it wasn\’t long until other companies followed suit.
3: Ending the War
The fate of WCW was in Vince McMahon\’s hands after he purchased his competition for a pittance in March 2001.
From the moment Lex Luger appeared on the first WCW Nitro in 1995, the Monday Night Wars were on.
The war saw McMahon and the WWF face the greatest competition they\’d ever faced, and for a while, things looked bleak.
As Eric Bischoff will remind anyone within ear shot, WCW Monday Nitro demolished WWF Raw 83 weeks in a row, and there was a time when McMahon\’s baby looked sunk.
A dramatic change of storytelling (complete with a new Attitude) would turn the tide, and thanks to inept heads at WCW, the war would end on March 26, 2001, with McMahon the victor.
As Paul Heyman on commentary called out \”they say that Alexander the Great sat on a rock and cried, for he had no more world left to conquer\” McMahon proved to be the conqueror of pro wrestling, buying out his competition.
2: The Steroid Scandal
McMahon wore a neckbrace during the 1994 steroid trial due to a surgery, though some believe it was a ploy to get sympathy from the jury.
During the 80s, WWF Superstars were larger than life, but to many, names like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and countless others were too large.
In November 1993, McMahon was indicted in a federal court and was accused of approving and distributing steroids to his roster.
McMahon temporarily ceded control of WWF operations to his wife Linda, and was looking at serious prison time if convicted.
McMahon\’s saving grace would ironically come from a wrestler who played a prisoner, as Kevin \’Nailz\’ Wacholz testified that McMahon ordered him to use steroids.
That may sound like bad news for McMahon on the surface, but when Wacholz made it clear he was an unreliable and hostile witness, his credibility, and the credibility of the claims, were called into question.
In July 1994, a jury acquitted McMahon of all charges, proving that even the federal government can\’t stop Vincent K. McMahon.
1: The Second Coming of Vince McMahon
What is the fate of WWE\’s future now that Vince McMahon is back on the board of directors?
To paraphrase the late jazz singer Dinah Washington, what a difference a week makes.
This time last week, fans knew that McMahon was hopeful to return, but few believed it would happen.
After all, WWE has been doing so well without McMahon\’s iron grip on production, that it just seemed to make no sense for him to return.
Yet, here we are.
There was a time when fans thought McMahon would never retire, and when he did, thought he\’d never return, and hell has frozen over for the second time in six months.
Whether McMahon\’s claim of merely being there to oversee a sale of WWE is genuine or not, McMahon is back on the board, in arguably the biggest win of his career.
Bayley\’s post received well-wishes by both fans and those in wrestling, including Lance Storm and reigning IWGP Women\’s Champion KAIRI.
Bayley and Damage CTRL have been feuding with Becky Lynch in recent weeks, with the Role Model getting a win over the Man on the December 19, Raw.
This week, Damage CTRL\’s IYO SKY and Dakota Kai defeated Lynch and Mia \’Michin\’ Yim.
Bayley So Far
Signing with WWE ten years ago, Bayley\’s career in the company actually began under a mask, as her in-ring debut saw her compete as Luchadora at an NXT live event.
It was in June 2013 that Bayley would adopt her doe-eyed fan-girl character which would make her one of the most popular babyfaces in recent years.
After multiple attempts, Bayley won the NXT Women\’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in August 2015, and would retain at NXT TakeOver: Respect that October.
After losing the title to Asuka, Bayley would be called up to Raw in 2016 and won the Raw Women\’s Championship in early 2017.
After a run as one-half of the first WWE Women\’s Tag Champions, Bayley would capture the SmackDown Women\’s Championship in 2019, and would turn heel that September, marking her first run in WWE as a heel.
After a lengthy reign as SmackDown Women\’s Champion, Bayley\’s reign would end in October 2020, and an injury in July 2021 would keep her out of action until her return last year\’s Summerslam.
Tama Tonga only recently captured the NJPW Never Openweight Championship, but his days with the promotion may be coming to an end if WWE can help it.
WWE has internally expressed interest in bringing Tonga into the fold, Fightful Select reports.
Word traveled through the locker room at New Japan\’s Wrestle Kingdom event earlier this week, but there is no confirmation if Tonga is interested.
Ironically, Tonga faced WWE\’s own Karl Anderson at Wrestle Kingdom, dethroning the Machine Gun to start his second reign as Never Openweight Champion.
Sources in New Japan told Fightful that Tonga\’s contract with the promotion is set to expire within \”a matter of weeks.\”
Tama Tonga
Beginning his training in 2008, Tonga would join NJPW in 2010 and is a founding member of the Bullet Club.
The 40-year-old is a seven-time IWGP World Tag Team Champion with his brother Tanga Loa, which makes sense considering he was trained by the Dudley Boyz.
After winning the ROH World Tag Titles at G1 Supercard, Tonga became the third man to have won a title in ROH, NJPW, and CMLL, behind Rocky Romero and Matt Taven.
Family Affair
Tama Tonga is on WWE\’s radar as their next potential signing, but his brother may soon be calling himself a WWE Superstar.
It was reported earlier this week that WWE is also interested in Tonga\’s brother Hikuleo but there is no confirmation as to whether talks have taken place.
WWE is said to have been interested in Hikuleo for months, and intermediaries have been used to express interest.
This is the same strategy as the Dragon Lee situation, as Finn Balor was the first to initiate contact with Lee regarding joining WWE.
Dragon Lee announced last month that he had signed a deal with WWE and relinquished his newly-won AAA World Tag Team Championship.
WWE\’s relationship with Saudi Arabia may be a highly-controversial one, but the checks are certainly worth it according to Kurt Angle.
The decade-long deal between WWE and the middle-eastern nation began in 2018 and sees WWE be paid a small fortune to host shows.
WWE\’s relationship with the country has been a source of controversy given Saudi Arabia\’s restrictive views on women and approach to LGBTQ+ people.
Angle in Saudi Arabia
After returning to WWE in 2017, Kurt Angle would compete at some of WWE\’s earliest shows in Saudi Arabia prior to his WrestleMania 35 retirement.
Speaking on his podcast, Angle was asked for his reaction to learning that WWE were working with Saudi Arabia.
\”I loved it! And the main reason is money, money, money. When you go to these places they spend a lot. These were bought shows. Saudi Arabia… You\’re talking 200 million dollars for two shows a year. That\’s incredible.\”
When asked if he ever thought he\’d compete at such a unique event, Angle reiterated how well he was paid.
\”No, [I didn\’t think I would be part of a show like this.] But I was glad I was. I mean, the paychecks are very generous.\”
Kurt Angle.
Unhappy
Angle may have been well-paid for his work in Saudi Arabia, but WWE\’s use of him did not sit right with the Olympian.
On his show, Angle said he wasn\’t a fan of his booking, but understood why WWE didn\’t give him more prominent spots.
\”What I will say is this. They didn\’t put me in great spots as you know. I think I did I did a Royal Rumble [2018\’s Greatest Royal Rumble.] I also did a seven-minute match with Dolph Ziggler [WWE Crown Jewel 2018.]
\”They didn\’t put me in great spots.\”
Kurt Angle on his Saudi Arabia booking.
\”The match wasn\’t [good.] Dolph was great, don\’t get me wrong but me at this point in time I wasn\’t so great. I had really started to lose a step at this particular time in my career. The match wasn\’t where I wanted to be. I was hoping more for the main event status, but still, the money was still really good.\”
Tangling with the Dragon
Angle may not have had the prominent spots he was hoping for in Saudi Arabia, but he did get to lock horns with Bryan Danielson.
Danielson (then Daniel Bryan) also competed in the Greatest Royal Rumble, and nearly won the 50-man match.
Speaking about a spot where he locked up with Bryan, Kurt said it was a delight to do something in the ring.
\”We wanted to do something special. So Daniel actually came up with it and it was a great little spot. I enjoyed working with him. Man he\’s so talented and he\’s not just an incredible high flyer he\’s a great technician too. Daniel Bryan could be one of the best overall workers in the business today.\”
Speaking about the expected Iron Man match between Danielson and AEW World Champion MJF, Kurt had doubts that the holder of the Big Burberry Belt will be able to keep up.
Fans of Xavier Woods\’ popular UpUpDownDown YouTube channel will soon get to hear the group\’s single \’Can\’t Stop Da Party.\’
Da Party consists of Woods, former WWE Superstar and current trainer Tyler Breeze, Ring of Honor World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and AEW\’s Adam Cole.
On Twitter, Cole shared an image of the four members and said it is just two more days before the track\’s release.
Given that the tweet was released yesterday, that means that \’Can\’t Stop Da Party\’ will drop at some point tomorrow.
Fans can find out more information on how to purchase the track by clicking here.
Harley Cameron
Harley Cameron, who has performed with Shotzi and Scarlett, will feature in the track set to be released on Monday.
All four members of Da Party have proven themselves in the ring, and while Woods can hold his own on the trombone, none are known for their singing.
In addition to the foursome, the track will feature Harley Cameron, who is a wrestler/singer.
Cameron worked with Shotzi and Scarlett last October for a cover of \’I Put a Spell on You\’ and produced the theme song for The IInspiration in Impact Wrestling.
Da Party
The quartet of Woods, Breeze, Castagnoli, and Cole were highlights of UpUpDownDown for years, but the group\’s run was cut short by factors outside of their control.
Breeze was released from WWE in 2021, and Cole would choose not to re-sign with the company shortly after.
In October 2022, members of Da Party teased a reunion and in November, streamed on Twitch for their first time playing together since Cole\’s departure.
Slaughter may have had a less-than-warm response to Evans using the Cobra Clutch, but the two may soon become a regular act on TV.
Last December, the former WWF Champion tweeted that he would love the opportunity to manage Evans, and is confident that she would become a Women\’s Champion.
Responding, Evans shared her eagerness to make the pairing happen, asking where does she report in.
While Slaughter claimed for years to have served and trained with the Marines, even off of WWE TV, he never served his country, while Evans is a real former Marine.
Lacey Evans
Lacey Evans was once poised to walk into WrestleMania 37 as Raw Women\’s Champion, but her career has been a whirlwind since then.
After Evans announced her pregnancy, plans for a title win were scrapped, and she would return to TV in a vignette on the April 8, 2022 edition of SmackDown.
Initially poised as a face, Evans was quietly moved to Raw and was listed as a heel, but never appeared on the red brand.
The former Marine would be moved back to SmackDown, turned face again, and then turned heel again in the summer of 2022.
Sources who spoke to CNBC reported that J.P. Morgan will advise WWE on a potential sale, which if one happens, will be the first in the company\’s history.
Those same sources said that if a deal is struck, it will likely occur within the next six to three months.
During a company-wide message, WWE President Frank Riddick clarified that McMahon\’s return does not guarantee a sale of the promotion nor a merger with another company.
Buyers – Comcast
An internationally-known brand that reported record profits during the pandemic, it is hardly surprising that WWE is making for quite an attractive purchase.
CNBC reports that Comcast would make a sensible buyer of WWE, given that the company already deals with the McMahon-led promotion.
Comcast owns NBC-Universal, which owns both the USA Network and Peacock, the home of WWE Monday Night Raw and the WWE Network respectively.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said in October 2022 that the company isn\’t in a rush to pursue an acquisition.
FOX
FOX is also named by CNBC as a potential buyer, and they two have experience with WWE.
The home of WWE SmackDown, FOX has reportedly been very pleased with WWE since their deal was struck in 2018.
Higher-ups at FOX have been delighted that WWE has been eager to please them, including having top-drawing names like Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey on the blue brand.
Fox sold most of its entertainment assets in a $71 billion sale to Disney in 2019, though WWE would likely fit into the company’s sports and live events focus.
Disney
The House of Mouse has been collecting IPs like Thanos collects Infinity Stones, the Marvel villain of course being under Disney\’s ownership.
With former CEO Bob Iger returning (the irony!) CNBC suggested that he could make a splashy acquisition to cement his return.
If so, WWE would likely be placed on ESPN+ and the WWE IP would be applicable for merchandizing and theme park businesses.
Warner Bros. Discovery
Current WBD CEO David Zaslav slashed costs upon his appointment to the top of the merged company, and spending billions on WWE is within the budget.
While a huge purchase like this would run counter to his cost-cutting strategy, Zaslav has spoken in the past about his interest in owning IPs.
With WBD pleased with the success AEW has had so far, it is possible that higher-ups will now set their sights on the much more internationally-known wrestling promotion.
Netflix
It has only been recently that Netflix has opened up to the idea of sports on their programming, with the success of various documentaries.
Netflix also boasts around 223 million paid subscribers (as of 2022 Q3) though the platform has been losing subscribers with many unpopular changes.
Speaking last month, co-CEO Ted Sarandos spoke about how Netflix wouldn\’t be renting sports, only buying.
“We’ve not seen a profit path to renting big sports. We\’re not anti-sports; we’re just pro-profit.”
Amazon
Unlike Netflix, Amazon has never shied away from acquiring sports, and pays $1 billion per year on Thursday Night Football.
Amazon could bolster Prime Video with live matches and WWE’s library content while easily boosting merchandizing opportunities.
Owned by the richest man on the planet Jeff Bezos, the price of a WWE purchase would not be a problem for Amazon.
Endeavour Group Holdings
In 2021, Endeavor purchased 100% of the UFC, but this may have just been the start of their plans.
Endeavor superagent Ari Emanuel has said that he wants to get into the business of live-events, making WWE a very attractive option.
UFC generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2022, proving that live events can be profitable to Emanuel.
Vince McMahon may be back with WWE, but staff at the company\’s offices shouldn\’t have to worry about one of his famed outbursts.
McMahon returned to WWE yesterday as a member of the Board of Directors after announcing his retirement in July of last year.
McMahon and WWE have claimed that his return is to oversee a possible sale of the company.
Out of the Office
For decades, McMahon ruled WWE, and as a result the wrestling world, with an iron fist from his office at Titan Towers.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that McMahon won\’t be a regular at WWE HQ.
\”I don’t think he’s coming back to TV, I mean, the word is he’s not. The word is he’s not even returning to his office. We’ll see how long that lasts.\”
Dave Meltzer.
McMahon plans on creating a portfolio of WWE\’s assets and advantages to pitch to potential buyers.
Names being thrown around as possible buyers include Comcast, FOX, Disney and Saudi Arabia.
New Home
McMahon won\’t be returning to the famed Titan Towers, but soon no WWE employee will be calling the office home.
A report this week confirmed the news of a move, though WWE will stop be operating in the state of Connecticut.
A company spokesperson told CTinsider the move is planned to commence towards the end of the first quarter of 2023.
707 Washington Blvd in Stamford, CT, will be home to more than 800 people once the company\’s new offices have been opened.
Everybody loves a title change, right? The joy of seeing history being made, and another name being added to a litany of champions.
For wrestlers, title victories mean that long after their careers are over, long after their lives are over, what they achieved will live on in the annals of history.
But for some wrestlers, their title changes were not meant to be, and while they had the joy of winning, they also felt the pain of having that win taken away.
With Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal almost becoming AEW World Tag Team Champions this week, we\’re looking back at six times titles changed hands, but then didn\’t.
The Rocket\’s Reign Fizzles Out
Owen Hart held plenty of gold in the WWE, but never held the World Championship, despite what this image may suggest.
Bret Hart is considered one of the greatest WWF Champions of all time, but despite an impressive career of his own, his younger brother Owen would never win the gold.
Well, not officially at least, as during the August 17, 1994 taping of WWF Superstars, Owen defeated his big brother to capture the gold.
The problem for the Rocket though, is that Jim Neidhart had been caught interfering on his behalf, and the match was restarted.
In another excellent collision between the two, Bret would defeat Owen to retain his title, but the image of the Rocket with the title remains an epic sight.
Y2J Plays the Game
Chris Jericho\’s arrival in the WWF in 1999 was a huge deal, and it wasn\’t long before one of WCW\’s most popular stars was hanging with the top guys.
On the April 17, 2000 episode of Raw is War, Jericho\’s insulted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and was able to goad Triple H into putting his WWF title on the line.
With the hired APA holding DX at bay, Jericho was able to get the win over the Game, thanks to a fast count from Earl Hebner.
Hebner had been bullied by DX for weeks, but even he knew the decision couldn\’t stand, and Jericho would have to hand back the title.
With this stricken from the record, Jericho would have to wait until late 2001 until he became the WWF Undisputed title, a title he\’d ironically lose to Triple H.
The Miz Goes Over the Limit
The Miz held nothing back in his efforts to make John Cena quit, even using a recording of the future Hollywood star.
Last year saw The Miz become a two-time WWE Champion, and while his reign was short, it was a long-time coming for fans of the A-Lister.
After losing the WWE title in 2011 to John Cena, Miz tried to win it back, and in a shocking turn of events, his I-Quit match with Cena saw Big Match John utter those two words.
As Miz celebrated, his NXT protege Alex Riley dropped an item, revealed to be a recording of Cena saying those words, and the jig was up.
With the match restarted, Cena made Miz quit for real, and the Marine star would wait a long time before he earned his real second WWE Championship.
The Wrong Rope Break
The Rockers held the WWF Tag Team titles for a brief moment, but a ring rope breaking snapped their run.
When you think of tag teams who never held gold in the WWF, few teams are more celebrated than The Rockers.
The pairing of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty would wow fans with their high-flying skills, and on one fateful night, would even win the WWF World Tag Team Titles.
During an October 1990 taping for Saturday Night\’s Main Event, the Rockers dethroned the Hart Foundation in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
The ring-rope breaking mid-match did not stop the action, but it was this rope break that would cost them dearly.
Unsatisfied with the match because of the rope, WWF higher-ups planned for it to be re-taped, but that never happened.
Explaining rumors of a phantom title change, WWF President Jack Tunney reversed the decision because the broken ring rope meant the bout was partially contested in an unfair environment, and on this occasion, it was Shawn getting screwed out of a title that was back in the hands of Bret Hart.
Inoki Makes History
Inoki\’s career would include an unofficial run as WWWF World Champion, making him the first Asian WWE Champion.
When Antonio Inoki died last October, fans reflected on his incredible career, which included a reign as WWWF Champion.
Unlike others on this list though, Inoki\’s title win was not immediately reversed and would come in November 1979, with a win over Bob Backlund.
A title rematch between the two went to a no-content, and the decision was made to strip Inoki of the title.
Backlund would defeat Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death Match to fill the vacancy, but the title controversy was never acknowledged, and fans at the time wouldn\’t learn about Inoki\’s win until years later.
Dusty\’s Dream is Shattered
The American Dream celebrated his NWA World title win, before learning his win was being reversed and the reign nullified.
We couldn\’t have an article like this without the namesake of the \’Dusty Finish:\’ The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
As a booker, Rhodes often used the trope of the face seemingly winning only to heel come out on top, but at Starrcade 1985, Rhodes got a taste of his own medicine.
The show\’s main event, which pitted Rhodes against NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair was a match for the ages, and one that saw Rhodes win the gold.
It wasn\’t until the next WCW show that the elated fans learned the truth that Flair was still champion, as referee Tommy Young had been knocked out during the title match, and that since the first ref was down, the pinfall wasn\’t official.
Flair regained the gold in a crushing moment for the American Dream, as the master of the Dusty finish got a taste of his own medicine.
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus were unsuccessful in their bid to become Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, and that was just the start of a bad night.
In the main event, McIntyre and Sheamus faced The Usos for the gold but came up short against the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions.
This match had originally been scheduled for weeks in advance but didn\’t take place when McIntyre was medically disqualified.
After SmackDown
Following this setback, McIntyre and Sheamus (now going by the unfortunate moniker the Banger Bros.) were trying to recover in the ring.
After SmackDown went off the air, the pair of former WWE Champions were attacked by the Viking Raiders.
Erik and Ivar laid out both men with Ragnaroks (their name for the double powerbomb) and after exiting the ring, had a moment with Valhalla (Sarah Logan.)
With this attack, it appears that the Banger Bros. will be sticking together for the time being.
What Else Happened?
This week\’s SmackDown was the first of the new year, and WWE looked to kick off the blue brand\’s 2023 with a bang.
SmackDown also saw Top Dolla and Hit Row turn heel, attacking Ricochet after the One and Only\’s Royal Rumble qualifier victory over Dolla.
The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match for the Rumble was confirmed as Roman Reigns will defend against Kevin Owens.
New WWE SmackDown Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair kicked off her latest reign with a successful title defense against Sonya Deville.
Vince McMahon has officially returned to WWE with immediate effect following his retirement from the promotion in July of last year.
McMahon stepped down from his roles with WWE following allegations of misconduct with female employees, leading to millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were appointed co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
The Comeback
In late 2022, it was reported that McMahon regretted retiring from WWE, and believed the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed.
McMahon had been telling those close to him that he was plotting a return to WWE, though it is unclear if he spoke to Stephanie.
Yesterday, McMahon issued a press release confirming his desire to return to WWE, believing it was in the company\’s and the investors\’ best interest.
McMahon reportedly threatened to vote down any attempts at a sale of the company, or any offers for new TV distribution rights.
Vince McMahon\’s 37% share of WWE stock gives him an 80% majority voter share over the board\’s actions.
Immediate Effect
In a SEC filing confirmed today, it was announced that McMahon is back on WWE\’s Board of Directors with immediate effect.
McMahon isn\’t coming alone, as former WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios are also returning.
Barrios and Wilson were with WWE until their dismissal in January 2020 as disagreements with McMahon led to a slump in the market price.
It was the dismissal of the pair that led WWE to hire Nick Khan as President.
McMahon, Wilson, and Barrios are replacing now-former board members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler.
McMahon\’s departure last year is something fans thought they would never see, and the same can be said for his return.
WWE talent have been virtually unanimous in opposition to McMahon\’s return and were said to have been \”floored\” by his statement.
Those in Creative were not told about his statement ahead of time, and one \”top WWE talent\” has questioned if he will return as Head of Creative, a role occupied by Triple H.
The “unanimous decision” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
For the time being, it is believed that Stephanie is still the Chairperson of the Board and that she and Khan are co-CEOs.
It is possible for Vince McMahon to force a vote on the positions, a vote he would have the ultimate majority over the result.
Dragon Lee shocked the wrestling world by announcing he was going to join WWE, but those working at AAA didn\’t believe his claim.
Lee, 27, captured the AAA World Tag Team Championships with Dralistico last month at Noche de Campeones, dethroning FTR and ending their 438-day reign.
Dragon Lee\’s announcement came as a shock to fans, but those in AAA didn\’t believe it, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports.
Given that the date of Noche de Campeones, December 28, fell on their version of April Fool\’s day, many saw this announcement as just a prank.
The Observer adds that AAA management \”no sold\” his announcement of signing with WWE even after he and Dralistico won the AAA World Tag Team titles.
After Dragon Lee\’s announcement, Triple H took to Twitter to call him an \”unbelievable athlete\” who is just getting started.
What\’s Next?
It has been reported that Dragon Lee\’s deal will see him earn much more than your standard NXT signing, but not as much as a main-roster performer.
WWE also reportedly has plans for Lee to be on the main roster sooner rather than later, and believe he will be there by WrestleMania 40.
In an interview with ESPN, Dragon Lee said signing with WWE has always been \’the dream\’ and is confident he can be the new Rey Mysterio if given the opportunity.
Shawn Michaels may have mellowed out considerably from the man he was during the 1990s, but the WWE roster got a glimpse of the old HBK in 2007.
During the 1990s, Michaels was notoriously difficult to work with and would use his position as part of the Kliq to play politics backstage.
After a back injury ended Michaels’ career in 1998, the former World Champion would find his faith and return to the ring in 2002.
A Devil in a Robe
By 2007, Michaels was far from the wild child that terrorized the locker room during the New Generation Era, but there was still a spark of the old HBK.
Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, Matt Hardy recalled the WWE roster going out to celebrate following Michaels’ near-one-hour match with John Cena on Raw in 2007.
\”Shawn at this point, was not drinking, very religious. And Ric [Flair] was down there just annoying the sh*t out of him. He\’s like \’Come on Shawn! Look at the champ John! He\’s the leader now. He\’s having some drinks. Shawn, you can have a drink! It doesn\’t make you a bad person.\’
Matt Hardy.
The old Shawn Michaels
After plenty of nagging by Ric Flair, Michaels eventually caved, which brought out a side that the roster didn’t expect to see.
\”Ric finally got Shawn to cave and have some drinks. So he\’s sitting there having his drinks, and you\’re seeing the \’old\’ Shawn Michaels starting to come out. And Jeff and I, we were just tickled.
\”Look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe!\”
A drunk Shawn Michaels in 2007.
\”You see Shawn and now that he\’s had a few, he says \’yeah look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe! People know that I\’m the real deal. You think you\’re hot sh*t right, just because people love you. Well people will always believe in me! Are they going to always believe in you?\”
Matt added that Jeff was wowed by the drunk Michaels, but that he and Matt found the situation to be hilarious.
Confrontation
Well and truly inebriated at this point, Michaels turned his attention to Umaga, who was having none of his antics.
\”Shawn\’s like \’hey, look at the big man over here. I\’m incredible! If I hit you with that superkick, everybody knows I can beat you.\’
\”And I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said \’why don\’t you give me a shot right now then? Go on!\’ and Shawn backed off. \’Whoa brother, I\’m just working brother. Work with me brother.\’\”
\”I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said \’why don\’t you give me a shot right now.\”
Umaga confronting a drunk Shawn Michaels about his superkick.
Hardy said at this point, he and Jeff were crying with laughter, calling it one of his favorite stories of life on the road.
New Japan\’s hotly-anticipated Wrestle Kingdom 17 certainly delivered, breaking a record for the NJPW World streaming service.
This year\’s January 4, event marked the first Wrestle Kingdom following the passing of Antonio Inoki who died in October last year.
The show saw talent from NJPW, STARDOM, AEW, Pro Wrestling Noah and WWE compete, and also saw the debut of Mercedes Mone\’.
Setting the Record
With several of the biggest wrestling promotions on the planet coming together for Wrestle Kingdom 17, it\’s hardly surprising that the show was in high demand.
On their website, New Japan stated that 92,409 unique worldwide users watched Wrestle Kingdom, with 30% (nearly 28,000) coming from outside Japan.
NJPW added that this is a record for the service that has been online since 2014, and thanked both existing and new users on the platform.
Those without NJPW World can watch Wrestle Kingdom matches on NJPW\’s weekly TV show on AXS TV starting Thursday, January 12.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 drew 26,085 live fans to the Tokyo Dome.
New Year Dash!!
With Wrestle Kindom 17 in the rear-view mirror, New Japan wasted no time in hosting their next event, \’New Year Dash!!\’ the following day.
A collection of tag-team matches filled the card, with the main event seeing Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega defeat United Empire (Aaron Henare and Jeff Cobb.)
In the only non-tag-team match, on the show, Shingo Takagi defeated Sho, Great-O-Khan and Toru Yano to become the inaugural Provisional KOPW 2023 Champion.
Vince McMahon is attempting the mother of all comebacks, and this week\’s news is something those in WWE did not see coming.
McMahon retired from WWE in July 2022 following allegations of misconduct with female employees and reports of paying out millions in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
With McMahon gone, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have operated as co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
WWE\’s roster has been \”floored\” by McMahon\’s plan to come back, a source told Fightful Select this week.
Nobody in any department, whether it talent, production, creative, or general staff, was given any information prior to the statement McMahon shared this week.
One Superstar told Fightful they had no inclination he\’d return but \”considering some people from his regime were kept this long, they must have known it would happen.\”
That same source also questioned whether WWE will host a talk with the roster at tonight\’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
A different talent said, \”Finding out online is scary, and it\’s Vince, so I don\’t believe a word he says.\”
One concerned higher-up added that former talent who believe Vince liked them are kidding themselves.
\”He didn\’t like you, he didn\’t like any of them. He fired or they wouldn\’t have been fired during a pandemic.\”
Creative
Prior to his retirement, McMahon served as WWE\’s Head of Creative, a role now occupied by Triple H.
One anonymous Superstar, described as a \”top WWE talent\” questioned whether McMahon could return to creative if his plan is a success.
The idea that McMahon could return to creative has been a common concern among talent.
The two sources within the creative department who spoke to Fightful said they had not learned of any adjustments to their duties.
\”I would be blown away if he returned to creative,\” a recently signed talent said.
Production
Like the roster and those at creative, the production team had no heads-up about McMahon\’s statement prior to its publication.
The \”unanimous decision\” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
One source did acknowledge WWE\’s stock price seeing a dramatic increase following McMahon\’s stated intention to return.
Will NXT’s Grayson Waller win this month’s Men’s Royal Rumble match? It’s certainly a possibility according to the man himself.
Waller made his WWE TV debut in June 2021 and was one of the top names in WWE NXT 2.0.
His prominent position on the card continued following the end of NXT 2.0 and the revamp back to WWE NXT.
Royal Rumble
Waller has had a handful of appearances outside of NXT on WWE Main Event, but he is optimistic about his chances on one of WWE\’s biggest shows of the year.
Speaking to Steve Fall of Ten Count, the Australian Superstar was asked about possibly entering the Royal Rumble.
\”You’re trying to get me in trouble with Roman right now. I can feel it. I know what you’re doing, but that’s okay. Because if I get the opportunity in the Royal Rumble, I have confidence. I know I could go on and win that thing.\”
Grayson Waller.
Waller mentioned that he has experience defeating Bloodline members, as he holds a victory over Solo Sikoa, which came \”pretty easily\” according to the NXT star.
Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has been virtually untouchable since his return in August 2020, and is closing in on 900 days as WWE Universal Champion.
Calling the Tribal Chief the toughest challenge in wrestling today, Waller was optimistic about facing the Champion, if he has plenty of time to prepare.
\”if I get in there with Roman, and I have time, and I can come up with a strategy, and I can get some backup [I can beat him.] …Who knows? Imagine me doing a shoey with three championships in my hand? That’s pretty impressive.”
Grayson Waller.
The third title Waller is referring to is the NXT Championship, which Waller will challenge for as a result of winning the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline.
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia are hoping that the third time\’s the charm ahead of the launch of their version of the XFL.
Johnson and Garcia purchased the league from former WWE CEO Vince McMahon in 2020 after his second attempt at a football league was thwarted by Covid-19.
McMahon\’s first foray into the world of professional football kicked off in 2000 but low ratings led to the league not getting a second season.
Kick-Off
The new XFL will kick off on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 3 pm Eastern a statement from the league has confirmed.
That game will see the Vegas Vipers face the Arlington Renegades at Choctaw Stadium in the first of four matches for the opening weekend.
That evening will see the Orlando Guardians face the Houston Roughnecks at the TDECU Stadium, and will be aired on ESPN and FX.
The next day will see the St. Louis Battlehawks Vs. the San Antonio Brahmas (3 pm. ABC) and the Seattle Sea Dragons against the D.C. Defenders (8 pm. ESPN.)
XFL 2023
The XFL will feature a total 43 games: 40 regular season games, two playoffs and one championship game.
The games will be split across four channels, with ABC airing seven, ESPN and ESPN22 getting 22 games each, and FX airing 15.
All XFL games will be streamed on ESPN+ and simulcasted in 142 countries around the world.
The eight XFL teams are split into two divisions: XFL North (D.C. Defenders, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis Battlehawks, Vegas Vipers) and XFL South (Arlington Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas.)
Who would have won in a dream match between two of the greatest technical wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots?
For years, Bret Hart was the standard-bearer for excellent wrestling in WWE, becoming the promotion\’s World Champion on five separate occasions.
At Survivor Series 1999, two years after Bret\’s departure in Montreal, Kurt Angle would bring his amateur wrestling background to the promotion and become a huge star.
Dream Match
Kurt and Angle never had the chance to wrestle each other in any promotion, but the Olympic Gold Medalist tried to make that happen over 15 years ago.
Speaking in an interview with The A2theK Wrestling Show, Angle said that he always hoped to face the Hitman during his career.
\”Bret Hart was always my dream match from when I started in WWE. I always thought I\’d have a match with him… He went to WCW, and unfortunately, he got knocked out and had the concussion and then he had a stroke.\”
Kurt Angle.
Hart\’s in-ring career ended after a concussion during a match at Starrcade 1999 but he would perform in a handful of matches in 2010 for WWE.
WrestleMania
Even after Hart\’s retirement, Angle was hopeful that he could pull off a match with the Excellence of Execution.
On the show, Kurt recalled pitching the match which was promptly declined.
\”I tried to get Bret to wrestle at WrestleMania, I believe, 21 (in 2005). I understood why he said no because where I am in my life now, I know I can\’t have the Kurt Angle match that fans expect and Bret was trying to tell me at that particular time \’I\’m not the Bret Hart I used to be and I\’m not gonna go out there and embarrass myself.\’
\”I\’m not the Bret Hart I used to be and I\’m not gonna go out there and embarrass myself.\”
Bret Hart\’s response to Kurt Angle when offered a match.
\”That\’s where Bret Hart always was. And if he can\’t do that, he\’s not gonna do it at all.\”
Instead of Hart, Angle would have a match-of-the-year candidate with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21, getting a victory over HBK.
Is Roman Reigns\’ tenure as the most dominant star in WWE going to come to an end this year?
Reigns has for years been WWE\’s top performer, which earned him considerable backlash from fans who didn\’t appreciate the Big Dog being forced on them.
In 2020, Reigns returned from a four-month absence as his current Tribal Chief character, earning acclaim from fans and those in the industry for his transformation.
Hollywood
Since capturing the Universal Championship at WWE Payback in August 2020, Reigns has been virtually untouchable in the ring.
Last year, Reigns signed a new deal with WWE, one that has resulted in fewer matches and fewer appearances by the Head of the Table.
Giving his 2023 predictions during his Strictly Business podcast, Eric Bischoff suggested that Reigns may walk away from the ring this year, then pursue a career in acting.
\”[I predict] Roman Reigns is crossing over into mainstream entertainment. You know, I haven\’t had my finger on you know Roman\’s career or his trajectory so far, but [with his cousin The Rock] it kind of makes a little bit of sense doesn\’t it?
You know in Hollywood it\’s not about how good you are necessarily, It\’s how good you are and who you know. I think Roman has put his toe in the water and now he\’s got a little bit of a taste of Hollywood.
\”Roman has put his toe in the water and now he\’s got a little bit of a taste of Hollywood.\”
Eric Bischoff.
I think Roman Reigns\’s long Title reign will come to an end this year and I think the best thing that you could do would be for him to step away for a few months.\”
In 2019, Reigns appeared alongside his cousin in \’Hobbs and Shaw\’ a spin-off of the Fast and Furious franchise.
Dethroning the Tribal Chief
Reigns has been Universal Champion for the past 857 days, and captured the WWE Championship last April at WrestleMania 38.
After Bischoff\’s co-host Jon Alba said he believes the long-rumored WrestleMania match between Reigns and The Rock isn\’t happening, Bischoff gave his pick for who should be WWE\’s next Undisputed Universal Champion.
\”I just saw a picture on social media of a WWE truck, a production truck, wrapped with a WrestleMania rap that featured Cody Rhodes. I think Cody\’s going to be the guy this year and as he should be in my opinion.\”
\”I think Cody\’s going to be the guy this year and as he should be in my opinion.\”
Eric Bischoff.
Bischoff reiterated that Reigns would be smart to walk away the ring at 37 years old with plenty of time to try new projects.
\”If I\’m Roman and I know my bank account\’s good. My Investment Portfolio is good and I\’m still young enough and healthy enough especially given his circumstances, I\’m going to get out while the getting\’s good brother and step into the next phase of my life.\”
In addition to Hobbs and Shaw, Reigns appeared in The Wong Missy (2020,) and provided his voice for the animated wrestling movie Rumble (2021.)
Mercedes Mone\’ may be mere weeks away from becoming the second-ever IWGP Women\’s Champion now that her title match has been confirmed.
Mone\’, who worked for years in WWE as Sasha Banks, made her New Japan Pro Wrestling debut at yesterday\’s Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Banks attacked KAIRI, who had retained her title against Tam Nakano, and posed with the IWGP Women\’s Title.
The Match
Banks made it clear in her attack that she wants to be the next IWGP Women\’s Champion, and vowed to make KAIRI \’bankrupt.\’
On Twitter, the NJPW Global account confirmed that the two will face off the for the title, which will take place at NJPW Battle in the Valley on February 18.
The match will mark Mone\’s first bout since a May 15, 2022 WWE Live event, where she and Naomi retained the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships against Shayna Baszler and Natalya.
In a video shared by NJPW Global, Mone\’ encouraged fans to purchase the show on FITE.
Can't be in the San Jose Civic?
Battle in the Valley will be coming to you LIVE on @fiteTV February 18!
This will be the first time that Mone\’ and KAIRI have faced off for the IWGP Women\’s Championship, but the two are far from strangers.
KAIRI\’s final weeks in WWE on TV would see her face Mone\’ multiple times as part of the feud between the Kabuki Warriors against Bayley & Sasha Banks.
Speaking on the post-Wrestle Kingdom press conference, Mone\’ said that her history with the IWGP Women\’s Champion played a part in her decision to target her first.
Darby Allin has regained the AEW TNT Championship, and the face-painted wrestler didn\’t wait long before offering a title match to one of the company\’s youngest prospects.
During this week\’s Dynamite, Allin dethroned Samoa Joe to win the gold, ending the Samoan Submission Machine\’s reign at 46 days.
The closing sequence saw Allin throw Joe into an exposed turnbuckle and hit a Code Red and multiple Coffin Drops to get the win.
This win marks Allin\’s second AEW TNT title reign, as he held the title for 186 days (a record-long reign) after winning the gold at Full Gear 2020.
Allin\’s Title Defense
AEW Dynamite went off the air with Allin celebrating his newly-won championship with Sting, who hoisted the young wrestler in the air to close out the show.
After Dynamite finished taping, Allin brought Nick Wayne into the ring and promised him a shot at the TNT Championship once he finishes high school.
After #AEWDynamite went off the air, Darby brought Nick Wayne in the ring and promised him a TNT Title match after he graduated High School. pic.twitter.com/zRtCT6mLHY
At 17-years-old, Wayne is the second-youngest name signed to an All Elite Wrestling contract, only being bested by \’Negative One\’ Brodie Lee Jr.
Wayne is yet to compete for AEW due to his age, but has big plans for his future in the ring.
Speaking to Andrew Thompson last April, Wayne said he\’s ready to wrestle for AEW the moment he turns 18 and in some impressive foreshadowing, spoke about a match with Allin.
\”I hope it happens one day. Me and Darby have so much backstory behind us. You know, I was there for Darby\’s first day of training. Yeah, he was trained by my father. I saw him about 4-5 times a week training. We have a really big story together.\”
Nick Wayne.
Outside of AEW, Wayne has competed for GCW, DEFY, and PROGRESS among other promotions.
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