AJ Styles will be on the shelf for several months due to an injury he sustained at Thursday night\’s Holiday Tour live event from Hershey, PA.
The Phenomenal One teamed with Karl Anderson and Mia Yim against Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley of Judgment Day. The OC picked up the win, but the big story coming out of the match was Styles\’ injury. As seen below, the incident occurred during an ugly-looking over-the-top-rope spot. Styles can be seen being attended to by staff and was helped to the back by the referee and Anderson.
On Saturday, Styles confirmed he\’s dealing with a broken ankle.
In a brief statement on Twitter, he assured fans he will not require surgery. The downside is that he\’ll miss significant ring time.
\”Just want to you guys to know that I\’m ok. Broken ankle is what I\’m dealing with. No surgery, this just takes some time to recover. This will be the longest I\’ve ever been out of the ring. Thanks for the prayers and get well wishes.\”
– AJ Styles
There\’s no good time to get hurt, but right before the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season has to be the worst time of the year for something like this to happen.
Styles’ Future
AJ Styles shocked the world by signing with WWE and debuting at the 2016 Royal Rumble event, entering the Rumble match at #3.
Earlier this year, Styles spoke about his future, and said that he doesn’t have plans to wrestle anywhere other than WWE at this point in his career.
Styles has also expressed interest in working behind the scenes in WWE once his time in the ring is over but has said he is unsure if that is going to happen.
The Phenomenal One later specified that a role as a talent scout would be ideal for him.
We here at SEScoops are wishing the two-time former WWE Champion a speedy recovery.
Outside of wrestling, West came to fame as the host of the Shop at Home Network in the 1990s and hosted \”The Sports Reporters\” radio show in Nashville, TN from 2001 until 2008
Final Conversation
As a TNA veteran, West spent years working closely with Jarrett who founded the promotion in 2002.
On Twitter, Double-J reflected on learning of West’s death, saying it hurt, but it is a relief that Don is no longer in pain.
Jarrett spoke about the FaceTime chat the two had a few days ago, where he did most of the talking and had one final chance to tell him he loved him and he will see him again.
Rest in Peace and Power Don West:
When I received the text from Don’s wife, Terri, earlier today on his passing I had an overwhelming feeling of mixed emotions—so happy and relieved for him that he was out of pain and his cancer was gone;but, the finality of his death was..(1/3) pic.twitter.com/7a9r39Kr2t
Dax Harwood has been especially busy as of late, competing for ROH, AEW, and AAA, but the FTR member is working hurt.
Harwood and Cash Wheeler recently competed at AAA\’s Noches de Campeones event, losing the AAA World Tag Team Titles to Dragon Lee and Dralistico.
Post-match, Dragon Lee announced that he has signed with WWE and the titles have since been vacated.
Working Hurt
This title loss comes mere weeks after FTR was dethroned as Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions, losing to The Briscoes at ROH Final Battle.
Harwood is still banged up from the Double Dog Collar match and is working through the pain, Fightful Select reports.
Harwood was reportedly injured after being suplexed by Jay Briscoe onto a pile of steel chairs.
What\’s Next for FTR?
There\’s no rest for Harwood though, as he and Wheeler will be defending the IWGP World Tag Team Championships next week at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.
FTR, who won the titles at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door in June of this year, will defend against Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi.)
In a previous report from Fightful, Harwood told the site that he believes his and Wheeler\’s contracts with AEW expire in April of next year.
Harwood also suggested that the pair may take a year away from pro-wrestling, or possibly just work non-televised events.
Speaking on the final episode of the Gentleman Villain podcast this month, Harwood refuted claims that they complained backstage about their role in WWE, adding that they knew they\’d stay \”in the rut\” if they remained with the promotion.
John Cena was in a particularly thankful mood after this week\’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX wrapped up.
In the main event of the show, Cena teamed with Kevin Owens to defeat Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.
This marked Cena\’s first match with WWE in 2022, and carries on the tradition of having at least one televised match for the promotion each year which began in 2002.
After the Show
Unhappy with their loss, the Bloodline attacked Cena and Owens once SmackDown went off the air.
In videos shared by fans who were in Tampa for the show, Zayn and the Usos can be seen beating down Owens and Cena, until Drew McIntyre and the Brawling Brutes make the save.
With the tides turned, Cena and Owens are able to make quick work of the remaining Bloodline members, with Zayn taking a stunner from Owens and AA from Cena.
John Cena\’s 20-year record was nearly broken this year, but the 16-time WWE World Champion won\’t have to worry about this in 2023.
It has been reported that the current plan for Cena at WrestleMania 39 is to face Logan Paul, who is currently recovering from his injury suffered at WWE Crown Jewel.
Paul told listeners of his ImPaulsive podcast earlier this year that he had pitched a match with Cena to WWE\’s Head of Creative Triple H.
Tyson Fury spent years establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in professional, and don\’t expect him to look any weaker in WWE.
Fury debuted for WWE in 2019 and defeated Braun Strowman via count out at that year\’s Crown Jewel event.
Fury was in attendance at WWE Clash at the Castle in September of this year and prevented then Mr. Money in the Bank Austin Theory from cashing in.
It was reported this month that WWE is eager to have Fury appear at next month\’s Royal Rumble event and possibly work a match at WrestleMania 39.
Banned
WWE and Fury may be eager to work together, but that is easier said than done.
It has been claimed that Fury is banned from entering the United States due to alleged ties with suspected Irish Mafia boss Daniel Kinahan.
A \”major WWE source\” told Dave Meltzer that Fury\’s alleged ban isn\’t something being talked about backstage.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter adds that Fury could lose out on millions of dollars if he cannot make it to WWE\’s event.
The Kinahan allegation prevented Fury\’s younger brother Tommy Fury from entering the U.S. for a fight with Jake Paul earlier this year.
Tyson Fury has denied any involvement with Kinahan or his alleged activity.
Putting Stars Over
Tyson Fury in WWE may seem like a longshot at this time, but his working with the company would bring its own problems.
The same strong source claimed that Fury would be unwilling to put other talents over, or even look vulnerable if he was to compete.
The source questioned the sense of having Fury as a possible surprise name in the Men\’s Rumble match, given the fortune WWE would pay him for mere minutes of in-ring action.
Monday Night Raw could be seeing a brand new championship in the new year, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
At WrestleMania 38 in April, Roman Reigns unified the WWE and Universal titles with a victory over Brock Lesnar.
Reigns has dominated as Universal Champion for 852 days and has been Undisputed WWE Universal Champion for 271 days.
New Championship
Not long after the titles were unified, it was reported that the USA Network was unhappy with the decision.
As a SmackDown-branded Superstar, Reigns makes far more appearances on SmackDown, often leaving Raw for weeks if not months without a World Champion.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that there is still a lot of talk about introducing a new title next year.
Meltzer added that the new title would be created for SmackDown if Reigns is drafted to te red brand.
There are still no details as to the championship\’s name, design or when it will be introduced in 2023.
Inaugural Champion
Details are still scarce regarding plans for a new Raw Championship, but we may already know who will hold it.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the main event of WrestleMania 39: Saturday will see Seth Rollins defend against either Cody Rhodes or Drew McIntyre.
The report stated that this match would be for the WWE Championship.
The main event of WrestleMania 39: Sunday will see Reigns defend the Universal Championship against The Rock or Rhodes if the Brahma Bull is not available.
Rollins is the only Superstar to have a PLE win over Reigns since 2020, defeating the Tribal Chief by DQ at the 2022 Royal Rumble.
FTR are no longer the AAA World Tag Team Champions and their time with the promotion has come to an end.
At the recent AAA Noche de Campeones, the team’s 438-day reign ended at the hands of Dragon Lee and Dralistico.
After the match, Lee announced that he has signed with WWE and the titles have since been vacated.
Finished
FTR’s title loss marks the end of their 438-day reign as champions, and also marks the end of their AAA run, Fightful Select has learned.
It is reported that the tag team is “finished up” with AAA for the time being, and had informed the promotion that they wanted to lose the titles by the end of the year.
Fightful noted that FTR’s reign has been surprising, given that they are AEW talents who have been working with AAA and NJPW.
AAA and NJPW do not have a working relationship akin to New Japan’s agreement with AEW.
What’s next?
It has been a difficult month for FTR, who in addition to losing the AAA World Tag Titles, lost the ROH World Tag Team Championships to The Briscoes at Final Battle.
The pair’s next title defense will be at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, where they will put the IWGP World Tag Team Titles on the line against Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi
Speaking to Fightful recently, Dax Harwood said he believes their contracts with All Elite Wrestling are up in the Spring and have considered wrestling off of national television for a while.
The wrestling world is in mourning after the passing of Bob ‘Doc’ Holliday, who spent years as a key promoter for WWE.
Friends and family of Holliday, who died aged 80, confirmed his passing to CTV News, saying it was after a battle with cancer.
Glenn Johnson, a friend of Holliday for 35 years, described him as an “amazing man.”
Bob ‘Doc’ Holliday in Wrestling
In an era where WWE relied on people in different towns to help promote and organize events, Holliday was a key player for the company.
The man known to many as ‘Doc’ would organize events for the promotion in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the hometown of former Superstar and current AEW star Chris Jericho.
Holliday’s role would see him book arenas, organize publicity for shows in local newspapers and on TV, set up interviews and
In the November 2, 1986, Winnipeg Free Press, Holliday summed up his take on pro wrestling.
“What wrestling is, is a good time. People have always had a good time at wrestling. They can come to a match and yell and scream and get all their frustrations out and you can’t always do that at a football or baseball game.”
Bob \’Doc\’ Holliday.
In 2003, Holliday spoke about WWE, calling it “one of the greatest indoor shows in the world.”
Bob Holliday
Holliday had success behind the scenes in wrestling, but he was accomplished outside of the industry.
A reporter for the Winnipeg Sun for many years, Bob was tasked with the crime beat, and knew everyone from cops on homicide cases to the local division of the Hell’s Angels.
Earlier this month, Holliday was presented with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal and is a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.
We here at SEScoops would like to offer our condolences to Bob’s friends, family and those who knew him at this sad time.
WWE made waves this week by signing Dragon Lee, but the company has even bigger plans for the new year.
Lee announced that he had signed with WWE this week, after he and Dralistico dethroned FTR as the AAA World Tag Team Champions.
Vacating the titles not long after, there is no word yet on when Lee is expected to make his WWE TV debut.
Standout
Dragon Lee is the first big signing for Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque, who\’s tenure as Head of Talent Relations has mainly seen him rehire former Superstars.
Wrestle Votes reports that WWE is hopeful that the signing of Dragon Lee is just the start of \”standout\” talent agreeing to a deal with the promotion.
It was also reported that Triple H and his team are expecting to land other high-quality names in early 2023.
Who\’s Next?
There\’s no shortage of standout talent that WWE could attempt to lock into a deal in the new year.
It has been reported that WWE is extremely interested in bringing in KC Navarro, who was reported to be at a tryout for the company recently.
Kylie Rae is another possibility, given that she competed at a WWE Main Event taping earlier this month under the name Briana Ray.
For returns, Chelsea Green is expected to be back with the company soon, and her return could spark her husband Matt Cardona to also make a comeback.
Perhaps the biggest possibility is CM Punk, given that the AEW star is reportedly seeking a buyout of his contract.
WWE are celebrating the signing of Dragon Lee, and have AEW to thank for getting their attention.
Lee announced his deal with WWE earlier this week, after he and Dralistico won the AAA World Tag Team Championships.
Lee and Dralistico won the titles from AEW\’s FTR, ending their reign at 438 days.
Signing with WWE
Lee is the first signing of a notable name (not to be a former Superstar) under WWE\’s Head of Talent Relations Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer that people who may have spoke differently a year ago, advised Lee to join WWE.
\”He was asking several people, a lot of different people \’what’s better for me…AEW or WWE?\’ And it’s funny, because a year ago most of the people would have said AEW for sure, but in fact they said WWE. And I don’t know if they are wrong.\”
Speculating on what Lee would have done had he become \’All-Elite\’ Meltzer didn\’t expect much success for the masked wrestler.
\”If he went to AEW, he probably would go in with more money, not appreciably more but more money. He would probably be used less [than he would have liked.] He\’d probably get frustrated. I mean look at all the people on that roster, and they don’t have enough television time, they don’t do enough angles or angles on the streaming stuff.”
Interest
With his impressive in-ring ability, it is hardly surprising that WWE wanted to sign Dragon Lee.
On his show, Meltzer confirmed that both WWE and AEW had interest in him.
\”He was working in Mexico. there is really not a lot money in Mexico… He had a tryout with WWe. But AEW wanted him as well.\”
Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer added that WWE\’s interest in Lee picked up once they learned that AEW had featured him without a deal to his name.
\”WWE’s interest in Dragon Lee came when they found out that AEW put this guy on television with no contract. So it was kind of like, ‘We can swoop in.’ They came after him after that deal. And right after that, he was signed, but he was signed a couple of weeks back. That was the catalyst of it. It was them finding out that AEW put a guy on television with no deal.\”
There is no word on when Dragon Lee is expected to make his debut for NXT.
Tommaso Ciampa is currently out of action after having hip surgery in October of this year, but had been dealing with the pain for close to a year.
Ciampa was called up to WWE\’s main roster in April 2022 and aligned with The Miz.
The two-time former NXT Champion\’s name was shortened to just \’Ciampa\’ not long after his call-up but was reverted back to Tommaso Ciampa in September.
Hip Injury
Ciampa has been out of action for months, but he has been dealing with the pain in his hip for much longer than first expected.
When Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select asked about a possible recovery window, he was given no indication as to when Ciampa will return.
Sapp was told that Ciampa\’s hip had been bothering him for close to a year before he underwent surgery in October.
Ciampa\’s most recent match came at a Bakersfield, California WWE Live event on September 17, where he lost to then-United States Champion Bobby Lashley.
His most recent televised match came on the August 22, Raw, where he and The Miz got a Q win over Lashley and AJ Styles.
Dealing with the Pain
Sharing details about his injury in September, the former NXT Champion said it had been causing him to experience glute and back joint pain.
Ciampa said he had also been dealing with severe pain in his sacroiliac, where the lower spine and pelvis connect.
According to Ciampa\’s wife, his hip labrum resembled shredded cheese, and in an Instagram post, the Blackheart thanked the various medical staff that has been taking care of him.
IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay is looking forward to many more years of working with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Ospreay debuted for the promotion in 2016 and is a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
The leader of the United Empire stable, Ospreay is a former NEVER Openweight Champion, the winner of the Best of the Super Juniors in 2016 and 2019, and the promotion’s sixth Triple Crown Champion.
Ospreay in New Japan
Will Ospreay’s success in NJPW is undeniable, and the British star has no plans to leave in the near future.
Speaking to Fightful on New Japan World, Ospreay said that his deal with the promotion will end in a little over a year in early 2024.
Ospreay had previously confirmed that he signed a five-year deal with New Japan in early 2019 but currently has no plans to go elsewhere.
The IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion has been paid “very well” by NJPW, and his heart is still with the company.
Addressing a 2016 offer by EVOLVE, Ospreay believes that joining them could have opened a lot of doors for him, but in hindsight, working with New Japan has been the right call.
Ospreay in AEW?
In June of this year, Ospreay made his debut for All Elite Wrestling attacking Trent Barretta and FTR.
Three years ago, the British wrestler that he would not sign with AEW unless they had a partnership with NJPW, which has since happened.
Ospreay said that while he has a lot of anxiety about living and staying in the U.S. he was made to feel at home with his appearances for AEW.
The full interview with Ospreay and Fightful will be released December 30 at noon EST.
Seth Rollins has added another accolade to his impressive wrestling career, being crowned the #1 wrestler of 2022 by Sports Illustrated.
The list, published this week, commends Rollins as having “wrestled the most compelling, convincing, and effective matches” for the past 12 months.
Rollins\’ promos and character work have “brought him to a whole new level of greatness” according to the article.
In his Instagram Story, Rollins reacted to the ranking, saying “Thanks for the love. An honor to be a part of this list.”
Seth Rollins in 2022
Seth’s year started off strong as he challenged Universal Champion Roman Reigns and got a DQ win over the Tribal Chief, the only person to get a PLE victory over Reigns since his 2020 heel turn.
From there, Rollins would have an epic feud with the returning Cody Rhodes, and losing on three Premium Live Events did not damage Rollins’ stature at all.
After failing to win Money in the Bank, Rollins would engage in a deeply personal rivalry with Matt Riddle, and their postponed match for Summerslam would take place at Clash at the Castle.
Rollins defeated the Original Bro in Cardiff but would lose to Riddle by submission in the Fight Pit at WWE Extreme Rules.
In October, Rollins became a two-time U.S. Champion, defeating Bobby Lashley, a title he would hold until Survivor Series: WarGames, where he would lose to Austin Theory.
The Architect will challenge for the title on the first Raw of 2023.
The Rankings
Rollins may be number one, but Sports Illustrated had some difficult picks for the rest of the list.
The full ranking is as follows.
Seth Rollins
Jon Moxley
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay
Is CM Punk open to returning to All Elite Wrestling given the right circumstances?
Duh!
Punk hasn’t been seen on AEW TV since All Out where he became a two-time World Champion, dethroning Jon Moxley.
The Chicago-Made wrestler’s incendiary comments on the post-show media scrum would lead to a fight backstage, resulting in Punk and others being suspended.
Duh
It is believed that Punk’s time with AEW is coming to an end, with reports that he is seeking a buyout from the promotion.
During this week’s FTR podcast, Dax Harwood spoke about his hope that Punk will be able to return and make amends with The Elite
“This is my plea to all four guys. Please find a way to make it work. If we can make it work, we can set up the future of professional wrestling for a long time.”
Dax Harwood.
Responding to a quote of Harwood’s comments, which added that Punk and the Elite should “just shake hands and say sorry” Punk responded with a simple “Duh.”
CM Punk has reportedly requested a buyout of his AEW deal, something that the company is in no hurry to grant him.
The belief is that AEW’s higher-ups fear Punk will join WWE soon, bringing a ton of attention to their competition.
It has been reported that some in WWE are against the idea of bringing Punk back, believing he will only bring trouble similar to what has been seen in AEW.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair were once closer than sisters, but that was a very long time ago.
The two highly decorated female Superstars have had real-life problems for years now, and are often kept on separate shows.
In 2021, Lynch and Flair were both drafted to each other’s brands to keep them apart.
Success
Plenty has been said about the fallout between the two, and now a new perspective has been given by Lynch’s ex-boyfriend Jeff Dye.
On the Wrestling with Freddie podcast, Dye spoke about how things in 2018 became too personal when Flair and Lynch feuded over the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
“They would take it really personal. Like when she and Charlotte were feuding, I would listen to her be like, ‘I can’t believe Charlotte’s actually getting mad at me.’ I was like, ‘You guys do know this is a storyline, right? You guys don’t have to actually be upset with each other for this to work.’\”
\”I would listen to her be like, ‘I can’t believe Charlotte’s actually getting mad at me.’\”
Jeff Dye.
“I think it’s like comedy or show business or maybe even if you work at a warehouse or you work at Target or you work at Best Buy, you get competitive. You want the promotion or you want the raise or you want some position, and so that’s just part of it for them.”
Due added that Charlotte struggled to accept that Lynch was becoming the new face of women’s wrestling after her transformation into ‘The Man’ in late 2018.
On-Screen
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair have had issues for years, which have often played out on WWE Television.
Flair was reportedly deeply hurt by a promo Lynch made in which she referred to her former friend as “plastic.”
When Lynch and Flair were drafted last year, the two were set to exchange the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships, in a segment that did not go to plan.
Flair reportedly went off-script by dropping her title, forcing Lynch to pick it up off the mat, and earned considerable heat backstage.
Injuries in wrestling can happen at any time, and in the case of Erick Rowan, WWE gave him small amount of time to heal up.
Rowan was part of the Wyatt Family in WWE and later worked with Luke Harper/Brodie Lee as the Bludgeon Brothers before his release in April 2020.
Since departing WWE, Rowan, working as Erick Redbeard, has made a handful of appearances for AEW, the most recent of which coming on the August 10, 2022, episode of Rampage.
One Day
Like any wrestler, Rowan isn’t immune from being injured, and that’s exactly what happened at Summerslam 2018.
On the show, the Bludgeon Brothers defended their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against the New Day and Rowan suffered a torn biceps during the match.
Speaking to Wrestling News, Rowan recalled being given very little time off before being asked to next appear.
“Every time I was off TV for a period of time it was because I was having a surgery. You never saw cameras around me. No. I was by myself at the hospitals, getting the surgery, flying back home, miserable, and doing the rehab every day.”
\”They gave me one day off so I could hopefully deal with the pain.\”
Erick Rowan.
“At SummerSlam, I tore my bicep. They gave me one day off so I could hopefully deal with the pain, and then we did a SmackDown versus The New Day where we used ladders and all sorts of stuff. In the meantime, I don’t have a right bicep that’s attached to my arm.”
The match on SmackDown would see the New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods win the titles from the Bludgeon Brothers.
After Rowan\’s pain got worse, WWE allowed him more time off and the former Superstar would not wrestle again until February 2019.
Chyna was once one of the biggest names in the World Wrestling Federation, but she and WWE had very different ideas as to how much she was worth.
Chyna (real name Joan Marie Laurer) joined the WWF in 1997 as the bodyguard for the newly-formed stable D-Generation X.
In April 2016, Laurer would die of an overdose of alcohol and pain medication. She was 46.
Guarantee
By 2001, Chyna had won the Intercontinental Championship twice (the only woman to date to win the title) and would win the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania X-Seven.
Chyna’s time with the company would come to abrupt end after the Judgment Day 2001 Pay-Per-View, where she’d retain her title against Lita.
Speaking on the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross addressed Chyna’s departure after she requested a $1 million guarantee on a new contract.
“She wanted a million dollars because she felt like she was worth more being a female, being more unique, than Stone Cold, some of the other guys. There was only a handful of guys making a million dollars per year.
\”She wanted a million dollars…There was only a handful of guys making a million dollars per year.\”
Jim Ross.
“I said, ‘Vince, if I can’t get a decent number, we may have to pass on it. He said, ‘Well, that’s your call.’ I couldn’t give her a million dollars a year. Could she have earned over a million dollars per year? She probably did a couple of times, if I remember correctly, but that guarantee was just too big.”
After her departure, the WWF Women’s title was vacated before being won by Trish Stratus at that November’s Survivor Series.
Hall of Fame
Chyna would never return to the WWE before her tragic passing in 2016 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Her induction would not be as a solo act but as part of D-Generation X, which has caused a backlash among fans who believe Chyna deserves an induction as a singles wrestler.
Last month, Mick Foley (a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee) advocated for Chyna to receive a solo induction.
WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER has dominated since winning the title, but 2023 is shaping up to be one very difficult year.
After debuting on the main roster in April, GUNTHER captured the Intercontinental title in June of this year, dethroning Ricochet.
Since then, GUNTHER has retained against Ricochet, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rey Mysterio, and had an acclaimed match with Sheamus at WWE Clash at the Castle.
Sheamus
Sheamus Vs. GUNTHER earned five stars from Dave Meltzer, but their Welsh war saw the leader of Imperium keep the gold.
On Twitter, Sheamus responded to a clip of the Clash at the Castle match, claiming that he will become Intercontinental Champion in 2023.
Sheamus is a former WWE, World Heavyweight, U.S., Raw, SmackDown, and WWE Tag Champion, but needs the Intercontinental Gold to complete both the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam.
Drew McIntyre
Sheamus is fixated on dethroning GUNTHER, but Drew McIntyre also has his sights on the Austrian and his title.
During this week’s ‘Absolute Best of 2022’ edition of Monday Night Raw, McIntyre declared his interest in the gold.
“I’ve got my eyes on GUNTHER with the Intercontinental Championship. I see the chatter on social media, I see what happened with himself and Sheamus, I saw the battles. I love competition, I’m a former Intercontinental Champion and I would love to tangle with that man.”
Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre’s one and only Intercontinental title reign saw him dethrone John Morrison at WWE: TLC in December 2009 and would hold the title for 161 days before losing to Kofi Kingston.
It has been reported that GUNTHER Vs. Brock Lesnar is also in the works for WrestleMania 39.
Is FTR’s tenure as AAA World Tag Team Champions coming to an end? Those in the company sure think so.
The team of Dash Harwood and Cash Wheeler won the titles for the first time on the October 16, 2021, episode of AEW Dynamite, defeating the Lucha Bros.
For the match, FTR donned green outfits and masks and called themselves ‘Las Super Ranas’ which translates to ‘The Super Frogs.’
FTR’s 438-day reign (and counting) is the third-longest reign in the history of the AAA World Tag Team Championships.
The End is Near
FTR’s tenure as the best tag team in AAA has been impressive but it could all come crashing down soon.
AAA talent are of the opinion that the World Tag Team Titles are expected to change hands “sooner rather than later\” according to Fightful Select.
The team’s last AAA title defense came on the April 6, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite, where they retained against the Young Bucks.
Their last title defense on an AAA show was back in March at AAA Gira Aniversario XXX, where they retained against Dragon Lee and Dralistico.
Other Titles
FTR has proven to be a dominant duo as the AAA World Tag Team Championships, but that’s not the only gold they have.
Harwood and Wheeler are also the reigning IWGP World Tag Team Champions, having won the titles from United Empire at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.
The Top Guys will defend these titles against Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) at next week’s NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on January 4.
FTR recently held the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championships which they lost to The Briscoes at Final Battle earlier this month.
“They had me in protective custody. It was very low-key. Only a few people that I was able to kind of hang out with and I guess the good thing about it is you got a lot of alone time with yourself and the bad thing about it was you got a lot of alone time with yourself.”
Cain Velasquez
Speaking about his release, Velasquez said he was pleased but also found it daunting to be a free man again.
“My mind ran like both sides of it [being positive about getting out versus thinking he’d be serving time straight through]. The bad side and the good side. It’s a thing, we always have to have faith, you know? It doesn’t matter what position we’re in, where we’re at. We always gotta look for the best-case scenario.”
Working for AAA
Velasquez was given a hero’s response when he competed at the AAA event by an audience seemingly sympathetic to his case.
Speaking about the show, Cain addressed the pressure he placed himself in ahead of the event.
“I felt like I was probably in the worst-case scenario for myself that I’ve ever been in and I feel like I always do this, I put a lot of pressure on myself and I just wanna be ready when I go out there and you know, compete and when I did, went out there and did it dude, it was [incredible.]”
Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez teamed with Blue Demon. Jr and Pagano to defeat Gringo Loco, Sam Adonis, and Taurus at the AAA Tempe show on December 3.
WWE’s recent live event from Columbus, Ohio is being considered a logistical mess by those within the company.
Yesterday, WWE hosted an event from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, which was headlined by U.S. Champion Austin Theory retaining against Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano in a steel cage match.
In addition to the Columbus event, the promotion returned to the World’s Most Famous Arena, as it had every December 26, for the past few years.
Logistical Mess
The crowd in Columbus got to see a stacked show, but what fans saw was far from what was originally planned.
Several WWE Superstars were forced to miss the show, which was a logistical mess, according to Fightful Select.
Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins both missed the event, with Rollins apologizing for his absence in a tweet.
It has been reported that loud “we want Rollins” chants were heard all night.
Bobby Lashley and Columbus’ own Alexa Bliss also missed the event, and it’s noted that “several more had to rush to even make it to the show.\”
Due to the absences, Johnny Gargano competed twice on the show, defeating Baron Corbin in the third match of the night before later headlining the show.
Madison Square Garden
WWE’s event in Columbus, Ohio didn’t go as planned, but the show inside MSG had its own problems.
The New York City event was also plagued with travel issues, with PW Insider reporting that flight issues led to “travel headaches” and several Superstars being delayed.
That event also saw Ricochet be pulled from an Intercontinental title ladder match due to the injury during the latest SmackDown which required stitches.
Drew McIntyre had been promoted for the main event but was pulled as he is “medically disqualified.”
2022 has been a wild year in wrestling, not just because staples of the industry like Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis have become a thing of the past.
This year has also seen an influx of young talent reach the forefront of wrestling and poise themselves as the top names of the future.
While some of these stars were wrestling before this year, 2022 has been a pivotal year for everyone involved, and here are our top five breakout wrestlers of this year.
5: Wheeler Yuta
Wheeler Yuta is in his record-breaking second reign as ROH Pure Champion. (via AEW)
The induction of Wheeler Yuta into the Blackpool Combat Club was a fantastic creative decision earlier this year, and a lesson on how to make a new name with established stars.
This time last year, sure, some wrestling fans would be aware of Yuta, but it his inclusion with the BCC that has turned him into one of the most exciting prospects in all of wrestling.
Now in his second reign as Ring of Honor Pure Champion, Yuta has also represented AEW in NJPW’s 29th Best of the Super Juniors tournament, and the future looks extremely bright for the young star.
4: Bron Breakker
Reports of WWE wanting to fast-track Breakker to the main roster come as no surprise.
Our reigning NXT Champion, it’s incredible to think that Bron Breakker has only been with WWE for slightly over a year.
In such a small amount of time, Breakker has become one of the biggest stars the gold brand has ever produced, thanks in part to his family connections as a Steiner.
But Bron isn’t just a tribute act to his father and brother, and has shown endless ability and charisma, so it’s hardly surprising that we see reports of WWE wanting to fast-track him to the main roster.
3: Hook
Originally a meme among wrestling fans, Hook has become one of the most promising future stars in AEW (Scott Lesh Photography)
What started off as a meme among fans, Hook has become one of the most popular names in AEW, all without having to do much.
The 23-year-old FTW Champion, Hook’s presence screams ‘star’ and his ability in the ring (complete with suplexes inspired by his father Taz) have only added to his starpower.
In short, Hook has all the tools to be a top name in wrestling, and when you consider his young age, the second-generation wrestler has oodles of time to make that goal happen.
2: Roxanne Perez
Roxanne Perez started this year as ROH Women\’s World Champion and will likely end as WWE NXT Women\’s Champion.
Roxanne Perez started this year as the first-ever ROH Women’s World Champion, and short of a monumental upset, will end it as the WWE NXT Women’s Champion.
Throw in a reign as NXT Women’s Tag Champion, Perez is proving herself each week, not just as a star of today, but as a top babyface for years down the line.
The 21-year-old former Rok-C is a babyface that fans naturally want to cheer (something that is a slight rarity in these modern times) and expect many more accolades, titles and moments in her future.
1: Logan Paul
Logan Paul has won over even his harshest of critics with his three WWE matches this year.
Logan Paul was once society’s public enemy number one, but it’s safe to say that he has found something of a home in WWE.
After a mixed response to his WWE debut last year, Paul stepped into the ring as a wrestler for the first time at WrestleMania 38, and exceeded expectations.
Paul’s impressive WrestleMania outing has been followed up with more impressive performances at Summerslam and Crown Jewel, and the Maverick has won over even his harshest of critics.
Rumors of Paul’s imminent return aren’t being met with disgust or outrage, but rather excitement and intrigue, as the YouTuber has proven he belongs in professional wrestling.
AEW’s next Battle of the Belts is reportedly a matter of days away according to a recent TV listing.
As the name suggests, Battle of the Belts sees AEW’s various titles defended, which can include championships from Ring of Honor.
The most recent Battle of the Belts event took place inside Washington D.C.’s Entertainment and Sports Arena in October and featured three title matches (though no titles changed hands.)
Battle of the Belts V
In a recent schedule for TNT programming, it is noted that Battle of the Belts V will air on Friday, January 6, 2023.
The show will air immediately after AEW Rampage, which will be in its regular 10 PM to 11 PM Eastern timeslot, with Battle of the Belts going from 11 PM to midnight.
Both shows are set to air live, though no matches have been confirmed for either event.
This is the same format that was used for Battle of the Belts IV in October.
Battle of the Belts
Battle of the Belts is a quarterly special that made its debut in January of this year, and takes place every January, April, August, and October.
The show may tease title changes, but so far, only Sammy Guevara has walked away from the shows with some new championship gold.
At the first Battle of the Belts in January of this year, Guevara defeated Dustin Rhodes to win the Interim AEW TNT Championship, as reigning champ Cody Rhodes was out with Covid-19.
At Battle of the Belts two in April, Guevara once again became TNT Champion, dethroning Scorpio Sky in the show’s opener.
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash has some suggestions for changes the promotion’s new regime could make.
In July, Vince McMahon retired as WWE’s CEO, Chairman, and Head of Creative, due to allegations of misconduct with female employees.
With McMahon gone, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan serve as Co-CEOs, with Stephanie as Chairwoman, while Triple H is Head of Creative.
Changes
Under the new regime, several released Superstars have been brought back including Bray Wyatt, Karrion Kross, and Dakota Kai among others.
During the latest Kliq This, Nash gave his suggestions for improvements WWE can make now with Vince McMahon, not a factor.
“I would have fewer house shows. They’ve already shown for a fact, during COVID that it was more profitable for them not to do live events.”
Kevin Nash.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE went for over a year without Live events due to rules regarding social gatherings.
Production
Fewer WWE Live events isn\’t the only suggestion that Nash, a two-time Hall of Famer, has made.
On his show, the former World Champion said that the production quality of WWE’s content could be seriously improved if changes are made.
“Come in on Sunday, and have a call sheet and shoot, you know, have the crew come in Saturday, and get all the locations in the building for all the shots, have a call sheet, come in and shoot two and three camera shots that that production crew could definitely edit and install on Monday. Instead of everything being shot with a single camera and giving it a completely different look. Then, as I’ve always wanted to do, shoot the show like The Larry Sanders Show. When it’s in the ring, it has that hard camera.
“That’s what I would do, then that way they’re the camera doesn’t go back and forth, which tells you it’s a camera. It’s the POV that goes back and forth, and tells you, ‘I’m watching a televised show.’ This is part — It’s the only thing you watch that’s trying to convey any kind of a story that is shot with a single camera.”
Any changes to WWE’s production would have to be approved by Stephanie, Triple H, and Khan before being implemented.
Kenny Omega may be one of the most popular ‘gaijin’ wrestlers in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling, but he wasn’t always proud of his work overseas.
Omega debuted for New Japan in September 2010, losing to Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) and is a former IWGP World Champion.
The 39-year-old wrestler is also a former IWGP Intercontinental, United States, and Junior Heavyweight Champion, and is the only gaijin winner of the G1 Climax.
Ashamed
Omega’s career in New Japan is impressive and well-documented, but he believes the promotion slid after he left for greener pastures. Speaking to NJPW1972, the Cleaner had this to say about New Japan\’s \’decline\’ after he left:
“For me, New Japan kinda became that child that I was ashamed of. I didn’t want to talk about New Japan to other people. I wanted to go back to those days where New Japan was in those infantile stages of creeping over to the West. Under my help of course! With me as the captain, it was sure to succeed.”
Kenny Omega.
Omega departed New Japan in January 2019 to be a co-founder of All Elite Wrestling.
Future Plans
Omega was once ashamed of his work with New Japan Pro Wrestling, but things have clearly changed.
The former AEW World Champion will return to challenge IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion at the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 17 event.
This match will mark Omega’s first match for New Japan since losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in 2019.
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