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Update on Trish Stratus and WWE

Trish Stratus was set for a return on the February 20 episode of WWE Raw, but it didn't end up happening.

Fightful Select had reported that Stratus would be a guest on Bayley's "Ding Dong Hello" episode, and was even included on late rundowns for the show. However, we're told that while Stratus was at the show, she ended up leaving. When we asked why the segment didn't happen as planned, we were told "creative changes."

Now, Becky Lynch and Lita will challenge for the WWE Tag Team...

The List Goes On 2/22: Is Vince McMahon Back In Creative?

SRS discusses what he's heard about Vince/WWE

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/K12-LNBGsIo

WWE Raw Backstage News, Producers, Morew

WWE Raw

- Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens promo: Michael Hayes

- Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin: Michael Hayes

- Dolph Ziggler vs. Mustafa Ali: Shawn Daivari

- Nikki Cross vs. Asuka: Tyson Kidd

- The Miz vs. Seth Rollins: Jason Jordan

- Ding Dong Hello: TJ Wilson

- Bronson Reed vs. Chad Gable: Abyss

- Edge vs. Austin Theory: Jamie Noble

Backstage News

- There were no producers listed for the Cody Rhodes/Paul Heyman segment

- Akira Tozawa...

Select Portions: AOP, Titus, Trish, Morrison, More

- There are several aggregations of our Trish Stratus report that claim that she walked out due to creative differences. That isn't what we reported. We were told there was a "creative change," and that she was at the venue, but left.

- The Spotlight will be airing the interview SRS did with Kerry Morton this week. Morton told us he actually won the title he holds in NWA while not under any sort of contract. He was flattered by the trust they put in him.

- We'll also have an inter...

SRS Backstage Report Podcast (2/21): Omega, Zayn, Trish, More

- Kenny Omega deal

- Sami Zayn news

- Nixed WWE segments

- Trish Stratus

- Thunder Rosa

- AEW meeting

- NJPW news

- Lots more!

Details on Chelsea Green's Raw absence

One WWE talent wasn't allowed to make it to WWE Raw, but they did a good job covering for it.

On the February 20 episode of WWE Raw, WWE did an angle where Chelsea Green was sent to Ottawa, Illinois instead of Ottawa, Canada. This was to help bridge the gap until they were out of Canada, as the Canadian Green is currently landlocked and unable to return to Canada. As of now, Chelsea is still waiting for her Green card, and then will be able to return. Green has been landlocked for month...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 2/20 | Canadian Destroyer

(Starting at 11:10 est)

They're slow-playing the hell out of this Sami & KO thing, which might not be a bad thing if they didn't suck at storytelling.

They're building this Cody/Roman match by insinuating that Paul Heyman is going to have sex with Brandi Rhodes. No, I didn't make that up.

We finally got that Ali/Ziggler match we've been waiting two and a half months for. It lasted two minutes.

By contrast, Edge vs Austin Theory has been allotted al...

Update on Trish Stratus-WWE

A major segment involving a huge return was supposed to go down on the February 20 episode of WWE Raw....but it didn't.

Trish Stratus was set to return during the Ding Dong Hello segment with Bayley, but it didn't end up happening. Instead, Lita and Becky Lynch showed up and made a challenge for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

Details are few so far, but it was confirmed to us that Trish Stratus was the original plan. In fact, Trish Stratus physically was at the show in Ot...

WWE Raw Rundown, including some big spoilers

Fightful has learned the following plans and rundown for tonight's WWE Raw

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers and want to watch without them

- A spoiler segment opens the show (SEE BELOW)

- Rhea Ripley sit-down interview

- Mustafa Ali vs. Dolph Ziggler

- Cody Rhodes interview

- Asuka vs. Nikki Cross

- Seth Rollins vs. Miz

- Ding Dong Hello with a special guest (see below)

- Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed

- US Title:...

The Demon Finn Balor was set for WWE return internally

The Demon version of Finn Balor was planned for a return internally, but it didn't end up happening.

As WrestlingNews.co reported back in December, original WWE Royal Rumble plans called for Edge to take on Finn Balor at Royal Rumble to further the Judgment Day vs. Edge feud that has been going on for nearly a year. However, Edge's filming schedule didn't allow for that to happen and the program ended up getting nixed. The match was scheduled to be a Hell in a Cell match, one that doesn...

Select Portions: AEW, Thunder Rosa, Street Profits, More

- Most of the WWE roster were aware of the Tony Khan/Ariel Helwani tweets by the time Elimination Chamber rolled around, and it was discussed among several people backstage. 

- We noted last week that AEW talent were told not to go to the border. Hangman Page said that he and another wrestler accidentally crossed into Mexico and nearly got detained 

- JTG of Cryme Tyme was at WWE Elimination Chamber. We're told that he was just visiting, and maintains a positive relation...

Magazine Archive: Dream Match: Roman Reigns vs. Kenny Omega

By Jack Goodwillie From FightfulMag.com issue 3

**

“The Head of the Table” Roman Reignsis 6’3” and weighs 265 pounds. From Pensacola, Florida. Second-generation wrestler and a member of the famed Anoa’i wrestling family (son of Sika). The five-time world champion is currently in his second Universal Championship reign, as well as a former WWE Intercontinental, United States and World Tag Team Champion. Made his professi...

Select Style: Mercedes Moné, Yuji Nagata Win Gold While Jay White Leaves NJPW

Scott Edwards returns with another episode of the Select Style podcast as he talks the biggest happenings in Japanese Pro Wrestling this week including the in-ring NJPW debut of Mercedes Moné and why it meant so much, the historic title win for Yuji Nagata, and the official exit of Jay White from NJPW!
Here are all the promotions covered this week:
- GLEAT
- SEAdLINNNG
- STARDOM
- TJPW
- NJPW
- AJPW

More On Reports Of Triple H Being Disappointed In Returning WWE Stars

Triple H has brought over a dozen departed WWE talent back since taking over WWE.

Recently, a report emerged that Triple H had been underwhelmed by several of those talent. If that's true, WWE is certainly downplaying it, as a longtime employee contacted Fightful to say that in the following weeks, that had been severely downplayed within WWE. One source stated that it wasn't a thing they would ever expect Triple H to say out loud, even if he did believe it.

Specifically, one memb...

Fightful Weekender (2/19): NJPW, GCW, VXS, NXT LEVEL UP, BLP, NWA, MLW, AAW

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with a new edition of the WEEKENDER!

Topics:

- NJPW: "Battle in the Valley" results

- VxS/GCW: "Jimmy Lloyd's All Grown Up" results

- GCW: "Middle Of The Night" results

- NXT Level Up (2/17) results

- BLP: "Love Stinks!" results

- NWA: "Powerrr" (2/14) results

- MLW: "Underground" (2/14) results

- AAW: "Legacy" results

Select Portions: AOP, Oney Lorcan, Michin, Andrade, Zicky Dice

- We had mentioned recently that WWE had been interested in the Authors of Pain. Those we've spoken to say the duo have an incredible amount of loyalty to Paul Ellering, and that Ellering would be heading up negotiating the deal.

- Matt Bloom noted recently that Oney Lorcan, aka Biff Busick, had retired from in-ring wrestling to work at the WWE Performance Center. We can confirm he helped produce women's matches on the NXT Vengeance Day show.

- For those that are asking, Andrade i...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: WWE Elimination Chamber Review

(STARTING TEN MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW FINISHES)

Most of the show was good matches with poorly booked finishes.

Probably the main event is going to fit that pattern as well.

BUT MAYBE THERE'S A CHANCE.

Just kidding, no there's not.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/2kMqUroP6Ds

Huge name at NJPW tonight

CM Punk is at tonight's NJPW Battle in the Valley. We're told that about a month ago he inquired about taking in the show. We've not heard that he'll be involved.

He's in the crowd with Fightful's Lars Fredriksen, and was seen talking to Gisele Shaw, among others.

WWE Elimination Chamber SCOOPS THREAD: Rundown, Spoilers, Producers!

The ongoing Fightful Select Elimination Chamber SCOOPS thread. Below is the rundown, which will also be updated shortly after the start of the show to include producers. You can also use this for live discussion

At the bottom of the page are other internal notes and spoilers. PLEASE BE COGNIZANT OF THOSE WHO WISH TO AVOID SPOILERS!!! All of this is subject to change. 


- Women's Elimination Chamber match: Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella...

Backstage News, Producers for WWE Smackdown

Producers

- Natalya & Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey & Shayne Baszler: Jamie Noble

- Hit Row interrupted by Bray Wyatt and Uncle Howdy: Michael Hayes

- Drew McIntyre & Sheamus vs. The Viking Raiders: Adam Pearce

- Asuka vs. Liv Morga: Petey Williams

- IC Title: Gunther vs. Madcap Moss: Jason Jordan

- Sami Zayn promo: Michael Hayes

Backstage News

- The segment that we mentioned from WWE Raw that they brought in a ton of materials for ended u...

Details behind Sami Zayn's emotional Smackdown promo

Sami Zayn had a special segment in Montreal on the February 17 episode of Smackdown ahead of Elimination Chamber.

Zayn had a busy week ahead of the show, showing up to do promotional appearances mid-week, doing media all day Friday, and even doing Raw in Brookyln Monday and getting a speeding ticket. As of Thursday, his opponent Roman Reigns was not scheduled for Friday's Smackdown.

Zayn cut a promo to close out Smackdown, which was always designed to just be one segment. After th...

Fightful Select Exclusive WWE Elimination Chamber and NJPW Battle in the Valley Pre-Show

Join Rob Wilkins and Maggie of Coexisting as they host the Fightful Select WWE Elimination Chamber and NJPW Battle in the Valley Pre-Show!

Show less

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 2-17 | Hometown Pop

(STARTING AT 10:30 est!)

Sami Zayn is the most organically over babyface since the Yes Movement era of Daniel Bryan. The welcome he received tonight in his hometown should be more than enough for any decent promoter to consider calling an audible and putting the title on him.

Is Triple H a 'decent promoter'? I guess we'll find out tomorrow night.

Elsewhere on SmackDown, the Celts and the Vikings reprised an old battle, Rey Mysterio has to beat Karrion Kross again I guess, an...

WWE Smackdown plans tonight!

Fightful has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Smackdown from Montreal

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers. We do not post spoilers outside of the paywall.

- Natalya & Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler

- Hit Row performance

- Drew McIntyre & Sheamus vs. Viking Raiders

- Asuka vs. Liv Morgan

- IC Title: Gunther vs. Madcap Moss

- Sami Zayn promo

SPOILERS...

SRS Q&A February 17: Omega, Zayn, Ibushi, Mania

- Sami Zayn and WrestleMania

- The Big Free Agent?

- Kenny Omega

- ROH roster

- WrestleMania plans

- Kota Ibushi

- Young Bucks

- Mercedes

- Triple H booking

- CM Punk

Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob & Maggie Special Guest: STEPHEN JENSEN of Fightful, Fightful Overbooked

Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob & Maggie Special Guest: STEPHEN JENSEN of Fightful, Fightful Overbooked @5PM

Details On Kenny Omega's AEW deal, WWE interest

Kenny Omega's contract status has been the subject of much speculation.

With Kenny Omega's AEW contract in question, we've heard from several staff and talent who have heard about the situation. Numerous sources have claimed to have overheard AEW founder Tony Khan say that Omega has substantial injury time that "could be" added to Omega's contract to extend it if AEW chose to. We can confirm that option is in Omega's contract, which is standard in AEW deals. One talent noted that consid...

Sami Zayn Talks Cody Rhodes, Bagels, Mania, More

Sami Zayn talked to Joel Pearl ahead of Elimination  Chamber

- When Zayn saw Cody Rhodes at the Royal Rumble, Rhodes said "well, this is awkward." 

- Zayn said maybe this weekend is his WrestleMania, but the actual WrestleMania is the WrestleMania for him. He wouldn't change anything about the story.

- Montreal bagel are the best.

- Sami Zayn said Gathering of the Juggalos, a mechanics and a flea market are some of the most unique places he's wrestled, but it...

Select Portions: Sami Zayn, Bray Wyatt, Smackdown, EC Weekend news

- Sasha Banks is currently doing media to promote tomorrow's match

- Austin Theory, Natalya, Sami Zayn, Nikki Cross, Raquel Rodriguez and Bronson Reed were all in Montreal this morning to do media for WWE.

- We'll have notes from our interview with Sami Zayn up shortly.

- Fightful's Joel Pearl and Tim are on the scene in Montreal for WWE Elimination Chamber

- Per WWE, there is a post-show press conference planned for WWE Elimination Chamber.

Smackdown notes, spoi...

SRS Q&A Questions

Hey guys! Q&A time

Guidelines

- I will try to answer the questions I know. Your question isn't wasted if I don't. It shows me what I need to ask around about.

- 1 question per subscriber

- No "are you a fan of?" "fantasy book this" "top 5" or "favorite" questions please! We try to keep these as newsworthy as possible

If you're a new subscriber, comment your question below. I'll delete the field after I'm done recording.

For aggrega...