fightful

SRS Q&A 2/10/23: Sasha, Vince, Sami, More!!

- Vince McMahon

- Kota Ibushi

- Contracts

- Eddie Kingston/MJF

- Super Bowl

- Statlander, Miro, Kyle O'Reilly

- Sami Zayn

- WrestleMania

- Luchasaurus, Christian, Paul Wight

More on the Cody Rhodes-Paul Heyman promo from WWE Raw

The Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman promo was universally praised by fans, and it was backstage in WWE, as well.

The Rhodes and Heyman promo was said to be a beneficiary of WWE's much looser scripting since Vince McMahon stepped down from the head of creative. We're told that some of it caught Paul Heyman by surprise -- at least according to those close to him. Those close to Rhodes also stated they weren't sure if it had ever been communicated to Heyman how important the ECW bookings were ...

Select Portions: WWE Creative Plans, Chelsea Green, Smackdown

- Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley at WWE Elimination Chamber has been the plan internally in WWE as far back as November.

- Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Judgment Day at WWE Elimination Chamber was also the plan dating back to the fall, but there was also and Edge vs. Finn Balor match planned for Royal Rumble that didn't end up happening.

- We're told that there have been creative pitches for Ronda Rousey's return to WWE Smackdown.

- New WWE announcer Blake Howard will debut on...

Why Bianca Belair freaked out before her first ladder match

Fightful spoke with Bianca Belair for a new interview.

We talked with Bianca about a lot of her "firsts" in wrestling, especially matches. She said that she was freaking out before her ladder match with Bayley because she couldn't find her championship belt, then someone let her know it was suspended above the ring. She spoke highly of Bayley and being able to make history with her. She also spoke about the differences in working the NXT to WWE War Games matches and said that being on t...

Details on new WWE commentary hire

WWE have added a new on-screen talent to their ranks.

Fightful Select has confirmed that WWE has hired independent commentator Blake Chadwick, and he officially started with the company this week. We're told that his new WWE name is Blake Howard. He filmed with the company on Tuesday, and will debut on the Friday episode of NXT LVL UP. He'll be joined by Byron Saxton.

Blake Howard has done work with WrestleCade, Ring Warriors, West Coast Wrestling Connection, Combat Fights Unlimit...

Update On Deonna Purrazzo's Contract, When It's Up

Deonna Purrazzo is with IMPACT Wrestling, at least through 2023.

Fightful Select has learned that IMPACT Wrestling exercised the one year option they had on Deonna Purrazzo, and Purrazzo has not signed a new contract or deal with IMPACT. Purrazzo originally came to IMPACT and won the Knockouts Championship before actually signing. Originally, her contract was supposed to be up at the end of 2022. However, with an alteration to some terms back in 2021, there was a one-year option added t...

The List Goes On 2/8: Deonna News!

- Baron Corbin

- Deonna Purrazzo

- Riddle

- Batista 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/M6l_O01HlpU

Joey Janela on dream booking, leaving AEW, future of Spring Break, Kota Ibushi

Jeremy Lambert spoke to Joey Janela ahead of the J-Cup!

- Enjoys Temptation Island and might have to indulge himself.
- Josh Barnett got Kota Ibushi for GCW shows. “Kota Ibushi fits right in the GCW World.”
- Wrestled in Kaiju Big Battel as a Cyclopes octopus. Did a dive, but couldn’t see, and missed everyone.
- Will be part of the Early Morning Guy Steele Show during WrestleMania weekend, possibly eating chicken wings.
- Isn’t sure there will be a Cluster...

WWE Raw Producers, Backstage News: Lesnar, Lita More

Producers

- Edge & Beth Phoenix promo: Jamie Noble

- Elimination Chamber qualifier: Angelo Dawkins vs. Damian Priest: Jamie Noble

- Baron Corbin vs. Dexter Lumis: Adam Pearce

- Brock Lesnar Promo: Michael Hayes

- Chamber qualifier: Michin vs. Candice LeRae vs. Carmella vs. Piper Niven: Shawn Daivari

- Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin vs. Alpha Academy: Jason Jordan

- Asuka vs. Chelsea Green: Molly Holly

- Cody Rhodes promo: Michael Ha...

Backstage Report Podcast (2/7): AEW, ROH, Stardom, Royal Rumble

- Swerve/Starks

- ROH 

- AEW house shows

- Cody Rhodes

- Royal Rumble morale

- Brock Lesnar heat

- WWE Raw

- New Producer

- Taya, Swerve, Mariah May 

- Mania

Producer/Agent starts with WWE

A new WWE producer has started work with WWE.

Fightful Select reported recently that independent wrestler Jason Cade would be starting work with WWE soon as a producer. We can confirm that he was on hand for WWE Raw in Orlando on Monday, February 6 and was working for the company. He was the producer of the Dana Brooke vs. Indi Hartwell match that took place on WWE Main Event for this week.

We'd noted that Jason Cade was to be brought in to contribute to the Women's Royal Rumble, ...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 2/6 | Sanitized For Your Acceptance

Hey at least they gave Becky & Bayley's cage match the main event slot and a lot of time to work.  

And the women's Chamber qualifier was decent, even if they *did* do the most obvious finish possible.  

But Edge is out here telling the kids to Google Jamiroquai and making prison rape jokes, and Cody continues to be the WrestleMania challenger that was workshopped in a focus group and passed a rigorous interview process at Corporate headquarters.  Tha...

WWE Raw Plans For Tonight

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for WWE Raw tonight.

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers, and please refrain from screenshotting and reposting the entire rundown on social media. If you do, you have to donate $10 to Jay Fowler's fund (2023-02-07 00:24:39 +0000 UTC View Post

Jordan Oliver Talks RIBERA, Getting Bookings, Okada

Jeremy Lambert spoke with Jordan Oliver ahead of the JCW J-Cup on February 11

- Alex Shelley has taken him and Nick Wayne under his wing. Says Shelley gives advice in wrestler and in life and calls him one of the most influential wrestlers of all time.

- Doesn’t take much downtime from wrestling, but does enjoy looking at how music is made. Said Snoop Dogg had the best frog splash of all time.

- Excited to see his opponent for Joey Janela’s Spring Break, “I saw Kota Ib...

Select Portions: Raw Notes For Tonight, MLW-Reelz, More

- For those wondering, the Grayson Waller outburst during the NXT media call was in character.

- Dexter Lumis is set to unveil a drawing on WWE Raw tonight.

- The Acclaimed scissored a man dressed as Jesus on the Jericho Cruise, in case you needed that information. 

- We're told Reelz is making a big push for more pro wrestling content between MLW and their bio-style shows. 

- There will be an angle where a wrestler appears on crutches tonight. It'...

WWE Act Officially Switching Brands

A WWE act is set to switch brands, officially.

Fightful Select has learned that Maxxine Dupri, ma.çé And mån.sôör are all now officially members of the WWE Raw roster. The trio, known as Maximum Male Models, appeared on WWE Raw last week, and looked like they were set to recruit Alpha Academy's Otis.

Maximum Male Models had previously appeared on Smackdown, and put over Legado Del Fantasma in short order on the January 20 episode of the show in the top contender tag tourney. ...

Magazine Archives: WWF LJN Customs: ‘80s Kids Perfecting ‘80s Toys

By Erik Boyer from FightfulMag.com issue 3

Picture that you’re ten. Your favorite action figure is affixed to your right hand. Now, picture someone taking it from you, laying it on a flat surface, and chopping off its head — with the promise that, in return, you’ll get something even cooler. If you were an ‘80s kid, there’s a good chance that figure was a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Wrestling Superstar from LJN — and chopping off that figure’s head is what th...

Select Style Podcast: STARDOM PPV, Kento Miyahara Defense, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Match

Scott Edwards is back with another edition of the Select Style podcast to cover what was an incredibly busy week in pro wrestling over in Japan as STARDOM held their PPV, Supreme Fight 2023, Kento Miyahara defended the Triple Crown Championship against Yuma Aoyagi, and NJPW shined with a double dose of action over the weekend including a fantastic IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match!

Here are the promotions featured in order:

- TJPW
- STARDOM
- DRAGONGATE
- AJPW 2023-02-06 14:48:19 +0000 UTC View Post

Update On Taya's Contract Status With MLW/NWA/AAA/IMPACT

Taya Valkyrie is working at AAA, MLW, NWA and IMPACT Wrestling, but isn't anchored down.

Despite holding championships in multiple companies, Taya tells Fightful Select that she's technically still a free agent and eligible to work anywhere she likes. She said that she's enjoyed that ability since leaving NXT, but also noted that 2023 might be the year she looks for a more permanent home. She's well established in AAA, and was also signed to NXT under Triple H's regime before he left th...

Reactions to AEW house shows

AEW has officially announced their first leg of house shows, and so far, we've heard positive reception from the roster.

Multiple talent spoke with Fightful about the news of live events and house shows being added to AEW's schedule. Several said that they knew something like this had been coming for a while, with one source indicating that multiple wrestlers have pushed for this for multiple reasons. One talent told us they'd rather get their in-ring reps in under the All Elite Wrestli...

Fightful Weekender (2/5): MLW SPOILERS, NXT VENGEANCE DAY, NWA NUFF SAID PREDICTIONS, WRESTLING REVOLVER, AIW, WEST COAST PRO, HOG

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

Topics:

- WRESTLING REVOLVER: "A Night At The MOXbury" results

- Ivy Nile working ROW

- NXT Level Up (2/3) results

- NXT: "Vengeance Day" results

- MLW: "SuperFight 2023" *SPOILERS*

- AIW: "Join The Swarm" results

- WEST COAST PRO: "Three Cheers For Revenge" results

- HOG: "The Beginning" results

- NWA: "Nuff Said" predictions

News on a BACKSTAGE SCUFFLE last year in AEW

Not all of the backstage AEW fisticuffs have resulted in long-term issues.

A couple of top performers in All Elite Wrestling have admitted that they got into a skirmish in 2022. Swerve Strickland and Ricky Starks were involved in a Tag Team Championship match at AEW Double or Nothing, which led to a "scuffle," per the two men. Fightful Select had reported last year that there had been some issues between the two after the match, due to a miscommunication. However, this was the first we'...

Smackdown Producers, Backstage News, More

Smackdown

- Ricochet & Braun Strowman vs. Imperium: Jason Jordan

- Charlotte Flair vs. Sonya Deville: Kenny Dysktra

- Viking Raiders vs. Brawling Brutes: Shane Helms

- Natalya vs. Shotzi vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Zelina Vega: Petey Williams

- Roman Reigns/Sami Zayn segment: Michael Hayes.

Backstage News:

- OC vs. Bloodline's combo of Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso was a post-show dark match, and was produced by Jason Jordan.

- Jason Jordan also produ...

Fightful Select Exclusive NXT Vengeance Day Pre-Show Rob Wilkins, Maggie, B/R's "Doc" Chris Mueller

Join Rob Wilkins, Maggie, B/R's "Doc" Chris Mueller, Kaden_FTW, and Alexis Cardoza for the Fightful Select NXT Vengeance Day Pre-Show.

Youtube Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-fhokinrPE&t=4s

Swerve Strickland Notes

Swerve Strickland joined The Wrestling Perspective Podcast with Lars Frederiksen and Dennis Farrell. Lars and Dennis talked to the wrestling veteran and music artist on many topics. This interview will air on Sunday, February 5th, 12PM EST.

- Swerve spoke about Parker Boudreaux and about helping wash off the moniker of “The Next Brock Lesnar” and that he puts pressure on himself to do that. Swerve said he feels like the fan base doubts are The Mogul Affiliates.

- Swerve was as...

WWE Smackdown Plans for tonight

Fightful has learned the following plans for WWE Smackdown tonight


Bro, Please be (bro) cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers, bro. Bro, posting an entire screenshot of the post is against (bro) our terms of service, bro. 


- Contender Tourney Finals: Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. Imperium

- NASCAR/WWE Package

- Women's Title: Charlotte Flair vs. Sonya Deville

- Brawling Brutes vs. Viking Raiders

- Chamber Qualifier: Natalya vs...

Update on ROH TV dates

Ring of Honor is set to start filming their weekly show at least into Supercard of Honor.

Fightful's Will Washington has been told that Ring of Honor will begin their tapings nearly a year after Tony Khan bought the company. Talent have been told that the ROH tapings will take place in Orlando, Florida during the last weekend of February. The talent we heard back from was under the assumption that it would be at Universal Studios, where ROH regularly films dark. Voices Of Wrestling had ...

SRS LIVE Q&A!

Sean Ross Sapp goes LIIIIIIIVE for a q&a at 2:30 PM EST!

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/8DrLAkZO6D4

Select Portions: WrestleMania Matches, Smackdown Plans

- As usual, the Uncle Howdy materials were sent to WWE Smackdown, but we haven't heard of other things, like 

- Wrestling Observer confirmed a recent Fightful Select Q&A report that the working plan for Ronda Rousey was to team with Shayna Baszler to take on DAMAGE CTRL for the Women's Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.

- Wrestling Observer also stated that John Cena vs. Austin Theory is set for WrestleMania. Fightful reported that on December 31, Austin Theory was flown to...

Details on WWE morale, reactions after WWE Royal Rumble

One year can change a lot.

In the recent Inside The Rumble 3 feature, we spoke heavily about how our contacts within and around WWE had stated that morale had never been lower in the company than it was around the time of the Royal Rumble in 2022. That's shifted significantly based on the follow ups from this year.

Vince McMahon was not seen at the Royal Rumble, and his creative influence was not felt on the show. Those that we've heard back from have stated that from a day to day...