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Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw Day 1 1/1 | ROCKY RHODES TO WRESTLEMANIA

WELP.

The Rock showed up, to prove he's more patriotic than a Canadian guy who speaks Punjabi and declare his intention to shove Cody Rhodes into a wood-chipper.

Metaphorically, of course.

Also, there were some big matches on Day 1, but that doesn't really matter, because it's the Second Anniversary of LINDA.

Everything sucks. (Especially for Cody.) Let's talk about it.

Watch on YouTube: 2024-01-02 04:02:12 +0000 UTC View Post

WWE Raw Day 1 Plans For Tonight

Fightful has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Raw, subject to change.

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers

- Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

- Cody Rhodes promo

- Jey Uso & Kofi Kingston vs. Imperium

- Judgment Day on Miz TV

- SPOILER TAG MATCH

- Women's World Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Ivy Nile

- Former WWE Champion In Ring promo

- Tegan Nox & Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark

- World Title: Set...

SRS Backstage Report (1/1): Mercedes, Free Agents, More

- Mercedes Mone

- The ROCK

- Cody Rhodes

- Deonna

- Charlotte

- so many CONTRACTS!!!!

Mercedes Mone in talks with AEW, industry sources expect her to land there.

Mercedes Mone could be narrowing in on a decision about her future.

Fightful reported this past week that Mercedes, the former Sasha Banks, had been in conversations with WWE about a potential return to the company. However, the two sides were far apart on terms. In following up, we’ve learned that Mercedes Mone has continued conversations with All Elite Wrestling, just a month after it looked like the two sides couldn’t come to terms. Beyond that, those in the industry we’ve spok...

CM Punk update

CM Punk is backstage at WWE Raw Day 1 in San Diego. He was not originally advertised for tonight's show.

We do not know if he'll be used on the program. 

Fightful Weekender (1/1): GCW, JCW, BEYOND, ICW NHB, ETU, GLORY PRO, MLW PREDICTIONS

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with a New Year edition of the WEEKENDER!

- GCW: "Nick Gage Invitational 8" + "Aftermath" results

- JCW: "BattleBowl" results

- BEYOND: "Heavy Lies The Crown" results

- ICW NHB: "SPO's Battle Of The Tough Guys" results

- ETU: "No Half Speed" results

- GLORY PRO: "Fatal Encounter" results

- MLW: "Kings of Colosseum" predictions

What we know about WWE Day 1 surprise

WWE Raw Day 1 has some buzz around it.

Fightful was able to learn of internal chatter back on Friday that the company was close to nailing down an appearance from a former WWE Champion. After it was reported, Triple H added credibility to the rumors, saying "stay tuned."

We haven’t learned what their baseline or qualifications of “WWE Champion” would be, but as we read it, it appeared to be just as it reads, as opposed to a former Hardcore Champion or something of the like.<...

Nick Khan's memo regarding Kevin Dunn

Nick Khan sent the following to the WWE team regarding Kevin Dunn:

"After 40+ years of helping to build WWE and, hands down, the best production and media unit in the entire sports and entertainment business, Kevin Dunn, will be leaving our company as of today.
 
Before WrestleMania 1, Kevin joined Vince at WWF.  Many of us remember a pre-WrestleMania WWF – a regional wrestling company that looked like a regional wrestling company.  Then we experienced WrestleMan...

Several wrestling free agents hit the market

A plethora of free agents have hit the open market officially.

QT Marshall has officially left AEW. He departed the company after being adamant that he wanted to wrestle as opposed to a front office or training only gig.

Alex Hammerstone had been the cornerstone of MLW for years. Hammerstone asked for his release from MLW midway through 2023 with years left on his deal. The two sides came to an agreement where he would work a few more dates and be a free agent at the start of 2024...

A look at re designed AEW Title, more details

A new era in All Elite Wrestling is underway, and could see some changes.

One of the big changes we’ve heard that could be on the horizon is the creation of a new or altered AEW World Championship. We haven’t heard if the title will be a new design, but there have been steps taken to make some alterations to it.

Recently and unfortunately Clemson defeated Kentucky in the AEW TaxSlayer bowl and Tony Khan presented Clemson with a customized world title with Clemson side plates. ...

A Ted Turner update

A….Ted Turner update?

A Fightful q&a request recently asked for an update on Ted Turner, the former owner of WCW. The question was brought on after Turner Classic Movies’ Ben Mankiewicz did the intro for Timeless Toni Storm.

It was reported five years ago that Turner has Lewey Body Dementia. Turner rarely makes public appearances, but still is technically co-chairs of Foundations and companies.

Turner was actually surrounded by hundreds of friends, family, colleagues...

MJF expected to have time off.

MJF is no longer AEW Champion, and needs to heal up.

Many that Fightful spoke to immediately following AEW Worlds End said that they expect MJF to be off TV for a while immediately, if not almost immediately. MJF had sustained a plethora of injuries during his AEW Title reign, but was adamant that he wanted to see it through. As MJF is often influential in his own creative, there's always a chance he could insist on an absence not happening, but it's expected internally. 

MJF...

Kevin Dunn reportedly gives notice to WWE

Major news out of WWE as PWInsider has reported that Kevin Dunn gave his notice to WWE recently.

The outlet reports that Dunn didn't want to alter his production style post-TKO compared to how he oversaw it, and was an issue of two different visions of how the show should be run from a TV production perspective as the company cut costs in that area.

We reached out to WWE, but have not heard back on the matter.

We spoke to several shocked talent, who had no idea of the move. ...

AEW Worlds End SCOOPS THREAD

- As Tony Khan had hinted, we have heard that the Devil reveal was to be either by AEW Worlds End or right around it.

- In recent weeks, there have been some instances where those who were not the masked devils portrayed the masked men. We’re told the majority of the time, it was those planned to be revealed. However, this past week, Preston Vance played the role of the person using the pipe. He was not slated to be one of the reveals.

- MJF is said to have been in an incredible...

Alex & Alex's SOUR GRAPS: AEW Worlds End 2023 | The Devil's In The The Details

Who is the Devil? For that matter, who is the AEW World Champion after tonight?

Who is the winner of the Continental Classic?

Do we have a new Women's Champion?
Or a new TNT Champion?
Or a new TBS Champion?
Or a new FTW Champion?
Or a new MDJ Champion?
     (Okay I made that last one up.)

Did Miro send Andrade back to WWE?

Who won the big 8 man tag?
           (No, not...

Andrade expected to finish up with AEW, more details

It appears the Andrade and AEW relationship has come to an end.

PWInsider and WrestlePurists have also reported details that Fightful Select can confirm about how things stand with Andrade and AEW ahead of Worlds End. 

Fightful Select learned this week that Andrade and AEW were set to no longer work together, with most expecting it to culminate at the AEW Worlds End show. Numerous sources indicated that Andrade made it clear this past Wednesday at AEW Dynamite he no longer wa...

FIGHTFUL SELECT EXCLUSIVE | AEW Worlds End PRE-SHOW

The Fightful Select EXCLUSIVE  AEW Worlds End PRE-SHOW! The Pre-Show will be hosted by Fightful.com and Fightful Overbooked's Rob Wilkins. Joining Rob will be Maggie of Fightful Overbooked's Coexisting w/ Rob & Maggie, 'Doc' Chris Mueller, Kaden, and potentially others!   So join us!

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N1kyLC1wR8

THIS. IS. CINEMA???: A Sour Graps Podcast | "Country Hearts" starring Chris Jericho

It's the pilot episode of THIS. IS. CINEMA???, a new show from the Sour Graps duo where we watch (mostly) bad movies starring professional wrestlers and try to determine if the movie is just a bad movie, or is it CINEMA?

For our first episode, we will be reviewing BOTH of the "Country Hearts" made-for-TV movies released this past fall, both intolerable "Faith-Based" romances, and both starring Chris Jericho.

The first thing he does in these movies, HOW WE ARE INTRODUCED TO HIM, is...

Mercedes Mone-WWE No Longer In Talks, Expected To Appear Elsewhere

Major movement in the Mercedes Mone free agent watch, as WWE sources claim talks fell apart between the two sides. 

Top free agent Mercedes Mone aka Sasha Banks and WWE had been engaged in conversations to possibly bring her back to the company. However, WWE sources stated to Fightful Friday night that the two sides are no longer in active negotiations regarding a return.  The two sides had recently been engaged in conversations about a return. We're told the dialogue was frie...

WWE looking to nail down a "former WWE Champion" for WWE Day 1

WWE is looking to add to their Day 1 edition of Raw. 

Sources within WWE, while speaking vaguely, claimed that the company is "on the one yard line" in landing a former WWE Champion to appear on the show, and they feel confident they can get the deal done. 

We haven't been given a specific name, but were told it was someone not currently on their roster. 

It's worth noting that "former WWE Champion" was the terms used by those sources. We asked if the name was...

SRS Q&A Podcast for December 29

- AEW Devils

- WWE-Giulia

- Mercedes

- Karrion Kross and AOP

- Media literacy

- TNA 

- Contracts

Select Portions: MJF, Names Backstage At AEW, Roster Status

- We're told that sources close to the Player's Tribune said that the response to the MJF article is on par with some of their bigger NBA/Soccer/NFL articles. 

- Fightful is told that Dr. Britt Baker DMD was backstage at Wednesday’s show in Orlando after being out of action for several months. Obviously Baker wasn’t used on the show, and was just backstage visiting.

- To answer a Q&A question recently, Tony Chimel is still working in AEW.

- Stu Grayson is still ...

Shawn Spears set to leave AEW.

Shawn Spears is set to be All Elite no longer.

We’re told that Spears becomes a free agent on January 1, and the departure was amicable between he and All Elite Wrestling.

Spears had been an integral figure in the early days of AEW, feuding with Cody Rhodes. However, since the Pinnacle fizzled out, Spears was left largely directionless and rarely appeared on AEW TV. Spears last wrestled on AEW All Out Zero Hour, and hasn’t wrestled on a Dynamite since May 2022.

Prior to ...

Get Your Questions In! Ask Grapsody! Today, at 5 PM EST

Get Your Questions In! Ask Grapsody! Today, at 5 PM EST! Phil and Righteous Reg will answer your questions!

Watch the show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMA7h2RVjzc

Details on Scotty 2 Hotty wrestling at AEW

Scotty 2 Hotty made his AEW debut in Orlando at New Year's Smash prior to the show.

The AEW coach teamed with the Acclaimed and Daddy Ass to beat the Gunns, Matt Menard and Jake Hager. Though he's wrestled on the independents semi-regularly, it was his first AEW match. We're told that he's been considered for matches in the company in the past, and has been open to performing for them in addition to his coaching duties.

AEW has the rights to use the original Too Cool theme music...

Swerve/Keith Lee details

Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland are FINALLY set to have their match over a year after the team split.

Fightful Select had heard earlier this year that there was a tentative idea for the two to face each other in the summer when they teamed together in the Blind Eliminator Tag Team tournament. A plan for the two to end up working with each other at World’s End was finalized by after Full Gear. They'll finally get that match at Worlds End.

Originally, Swerve and Hangman Page wer...

Select Portions: WWE MSG, Fightful Awards, MOre

- This is set to be one of WWE's more financially successful live event trips ever, according to sources within WWE.

- WWE did have cameras at WWE MSG as they do for every live event, and said that parts of the show could end up airing later. 

- The CM Punk vs. Dominik match was viewed over 1 million times via pirated clips

- We're told that WWE was pleased with the buzz that the MSG show got in general. 

- For those asking, Vince McMahon was not at MSG for t...

The List Goes On 12/27

SRS and Jimmy Van's post show!!

video: https://youtu.be/5MlUMc4bqdE

Details on big NWA deal set to expire

A big NWA deal is set to expire soon, and we’ve learned more about that deal.

Kamille has been the anchor of the National Wrestling Alliance’s women’s division for several years, with a history World Title reign under her belt. However, as things stands, it appears as if she’s poised to leave the company on January 1.

NWA sources claim that Kamille gave her notice to the company back in October. She’d retained a six month option that would have seen an increase in pay, b...

WWE MSG sets records

We had several inquiries regarding WWE's show at Madison Square Garden tonight, and were able to get some information.

Internal WWE live events reports claim that WWE's live event in Madison Square Garden was sold out. The event was said to be the highest grossing domestic non-televised event of all-time for WWE.

The show saw CM Punk wrestle his first WWE match in nearly ten years, beating Dominik. 

The event in Baltimore was also the highest grossing non televised W...