fightful

WWE Raw plans for tonight

Fightful has learned the following plans for WWE Raw for January 2

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers. Don't be the dick that posts the entire screenshot on social media and spoils the show for those who avoid those kind of things.

- Bloodline promo

- Raw Women's Title: Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss

- Music City Street Fight: Elias vs. Solo Sikoa

-Kevin Owens & Street Profits vs. Usos & Sami Zayn

- Dexter Lumis vs. Chad Gable 2023-01-03 00:37:42 +0000 UTC View Post

Huge Mania Pitch before the regime change, more details on Mania matches

One of the big planned WrestleMania matches years in the making is no longer scheduled to happen at WrestleMania, and we've learned some more details.

Recently, Wrestling Observer reported that Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch was no longer in the plans for the biggest wrestling show of the year. Over the weekend, Fightful Select was able to confirm that. While we haven't been able to confirm that Rousey vs. Rhea Ripley is the plan moving forward as reported elsewhere, one top talent said t...

Fightful Weekender (1/2): IWTV WRESTIVAL + GCW

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with the first WEEKENDER of 2023!

Topics:

- IWTV: "Wrestival 2022" results

    - PIZZA PARTY: "Pop! Pop!"

    - WRESTLING OPEN: "The Last Stand"

    - ICW NHB: "Pitfighter X 14"

    - BLITZKREIG: "Always The Hard Way"

    - IWTV: "Class of '22"

    - PRESTIGE: "The Things We Carry"

   ...

Kazuchika Okada Talks Jay White, Omega, STRONG

Fightful spoke briefly with Kazuchika Okada for an interview focused solely on Wrestle Kingdom. We had submitted some other questions that weren't answered.

Okada said that Jay White's unserious nature in preparing for him (building chicken coops) doesn't bother him at all, but he hopes that it isn't used as an excuse when he wins. He can't afford to take it easy and he believes having anxiety is a good thing.

He hasn't had a singles match since October and isn't preparing any spe...

What AEW knew about WWE/NJPW, How the Omega deal came about

We reported previously about NJPW and WWE working together to get Karl Anderson on Wrestle Kingdom, but now we've learned about AEW's knowledge.

Rocky Romero told Fightful that he speaks with Tony Khan quite frequently, and filled in Khan about what was going on with WWE and NJPW, and said Khan isn't shy about asking either. He said that Tony Khan understood why it was happening and cool about it.

Kenny Omega is finally returning to NJPW, and Romero said that he believes Omega for...

Magazine Archive: The Wrestlers’ Tribune By Damien Sandow

As first seen in FightfulMag.com issue 3

***

By Aron Stevens

“The best entertainment speaks to the human condition in an honest way.” – Gregory Hines

This quote is one of my favorite’s pertaining to my chosen profession. What makes pro wrestling so great? The electrifying entrance music? Brilliant pyrotechnics? Elaborate costumes? Feats of athleticism that appear to defy what the human body seems capable of?

No. It’s the wrestlers. It�...

Select Portions: Wrestler gets stitches, Smackdown, AEW changes

- Kevin Owens required stitches after Friday's episode of Smackdown, but we're told that he's fine.

- Lacey Evans was slated to have a vignette air on Smackdown as of Friday evening, but it didn't end up airing.

- The woman with MJF at the Denver AEW Dynamite show was independent worker Daddi Doom, who has worked with Abadon and Ryzin in the past. She's not been signed by the company.

- On this week's episode of Grapsody, Will Washington reported that Swerve Strickland was o...

Details behind how the WWE/NJPW/Karl Anderson deal happened

Fightful Select learned more about the NJPW/WWE/Karl Anderson dynamic.

Ahead of Wrestle Kingdom on NJPW World, Rocky Romero told Fightful that the whole WWE-NJPW-Karl Anderson situation was shaky and stressful the whole way through. He confirmed that Karl Anderson truly believed and planned the entire way to work Wrestle Kingdom from the point he signed with WWE. He was very thankful for WWE letting it happen, and believes everyone's intentions were good.

Romero said that as of no...

Figure Haul NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL: I got the WCW ring!

Sean Ross Sapp got the WCW ring he was talking about last week!

SRS Q&A (1/1): Over 35 minutes of mailbag!!

- Sasha Banks

- Evil Danhausen

- Royal Rumble

- Cody

- Big Gold Belt?

- John Cena

- MJF

- Kenny Omega contract

- Jake Hager, Leyla Hirsch, Richard Holliday

Smackdown Backstage News, Scoops, Producers and More

Smackdown Producers

- Bray Wyatt in ring promo: Road Dogg

- Sheamus vs. Solo Sikoa: Adam Pearce

- Women's Title: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Ronda Rousey: Jamie Noble

- Hit Row will be backstage: Shawn Daivari

- Gunther in ring promo with Imperium: Road Dogg

- John Cena & Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn: Jason Jordan

Backstage News, Notes: 

- The pre-show dark match of Liv Morgan & Tegan Nox vs. Sonya Deville and Xia Li was pr...

Select Portions: Sasha Banks, AJ Styles, NJPW, More

- Before AJ Styles announced that his ankle was broken, a WWE source indicated that AJ Styles would miss "months" in the ring.

- Sasha Banks has not been hiding the fact that she's in Japan. She's been out socializing, going to parties and even posing for pictures.

- We've learned Kenny Omega and Karl Anderson both head out to Japan on New Years Day.

- Indy Wrestler Lev Shapiro was the guest on this week’s Wrestling Perspective Podcast with Lars Frederiksen and Dennis Farr...

Cody Deaner Notes

IMPACT Wrestling’s Cody Deaner recently caught up with Fightful’s Matt Young and Joel Pearl for two interviews.

The former Kurt Angle Invitational competitor and leader of The Design spoke to us on various topics.

Cody talked about who was part of the creative process when it came to the vignette promo that aired, in which Deaner’s character killed Eric Young. Cody said it was a team effort, he mentioned everything they have done as a stable has been collaborative...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown Review & Rampage WatchAlong 12/30 | Return of the Queen

Charlotte came back tonight, asked for title match, got it, and immediately became the new SmackDown Women's Champion.

That sounds like a joke I might make about the preferential treatment that Charlotte has received for the past several years, but nope. It's an actual accurate headline for tonight's episode of SmackDown.

Also, Uncle Howdy came out and Sister Abigail'd Bray Wyatt, and there was apparently some kind of big tag match? Roman and Sami vs Kevin Owens and some g...

WWE Smackdown Plans For Tonight

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Smackdown. SRS is joining Kate on tonight's Fightful Post Show

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers

- Bray Wyatt in ring promo

- Sheamus vs. Solo Sikoa

- Women's Title: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Ronda Rousey

- Hit Row will be backstage

- Lacey Evans vignette

- Gunther in ring promo with Imperium

- John Cena & Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns & Sami Zay...

Select Portions: AEW injuries, Wrestle Kingdom, Smackdown

- We're told that Dax Harwood is still working banged up from the ROH Final Battle superplex spot onto the chairs.

- In an update on Anthony Henry, we're told he's fine and uninjured, and was just sore from working four matches at the AEW Dark tapings in Orlando. He's not expected to miss any time.

- Talent in America are starting to make the trip over to Japan for Wrestle Kingdom on Sunday and Monday, we're told.

- Uncle Howdy was set to be involved on Smackdown ...

Remembering Don West and Jaysin Strife | Anything You Want w/ Rob Wilkins Fightful Select Exclusive

Maggie is sick, so it’s not Coexisting if she is missing. 😞  I will be remembering Don West and Jaysin Strife. We can also talk about anything you want.

I will read any Jaysin Strife or Don West stories and comments in the chat.  (No SuperChat required)   

Youtube Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_l7lFxfm_w

AEW travel woes caused scrambling

Travel issues continue to affect wrestling companies all over the place.

In addition to WWE running into big issues with their Columbus live event on Monday, All Elite Wrestling also had some trouble. Grapsody and Day After Dynamite's Will Washington learned there were some significant travel woes due to the winter storms causing a domino effect. Obviously and unfortunately, talent from the Buffalo area couldn't make it out due to the tragic effects of the winter storm there.

Howe...

Will Ospreay on Kenny Omega, Seth Rollins, More

We spoke to Will Ospreay ahead of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom on NJPW World.

Much of this feud actually started when we interviewed Kenny Omega in June and he casually buried Will Ospreay by still putting him over. Ospreay says that it's typical Kenny, and sometimes he oversteps and puts his foot in his mouth, which he said he does as well. He called Kenny an egomaniac and a KNOBHEAD and said that he knows it's all about Kenny Omega taking shots at people. He wouldn't argue that Omega is one o...

Update on FTR and AAA

FTR is done with AAA for the time being.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler dropped the AAA Tag Team Titles on December 28. Fightful Select had reported that week prior that the duo were expected to drop the titles, and now we know it's served a dual purpose -- to further their current losing streak storyline, and because they're finished up with AAA.

Fightful Select learned that FTR had informed AAA that they wanted to drop the tag team titles and finish up with them at the end of the ...

Dragon Lee Details: AEW, WWE, Dralistico, More!!

Dragon Lee confirmed that he'd signed with WWE after winning the AAA tag titles on December 28.

Some details were revealed by ESPN's Marc Raimondi, detailing that Dragon Lee had signed with WWE earlier this month. Fightful has learned a bit more. As highlighted in the ESPN piece, former WWE Senior Director of Talent Development Canyon Ceman had expressed interest in Dragon Lee, before it was decided he wouldn't be brought in.

We're told that WWE had expressed interest after Dragon...

Details on Will Ospreay's NJPW contract, future

Will Ospreay's deal hasn't changed since he revealed he was in the middle of a five-year contract.

Fightful spoke with Will Ospreay ahead of Wrestle Kingdom on New Japan World, and asked about the nature of contracts and possibilities. Previously, Ospreay had stated publicly that he'd signed a five year contract in early 2019. He confirmed that his deal is up in a little over a year, in early 2024. He also spoke openly about his feelings.

Ospreay said that he's paid very well by N...

Select Portions: Possible AEW spoiler, NJPW, Ice Ribbon

- Fightful is set to interview Rocky Romero in the morning, let us know if you have any questions.

- Will Ospreay noted to us in our interview that while he doesn't like the idea of living in America because it gives him anxiety, he was treated very well at AEW. 

- Fightful’s Scott Edwards had a chance to interview Ice Ribbon’s Yuuki Mashiro ahead of h...

THE POST SHOW with SRS!

SRS brings you the What Do You Guys Wanna Talk About post show!

***

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/1XXEff1fxz4

Select Portions: Lots of WWE updates, 2K, More

- We're told that a lot of the footage and interviews filmed for the This is Awesome episode on video games was done in November for a December release. We've heard positive things from talent about participating in the series.

- We asked several within WWE about a status update on Quincy Elliott this week, and didn't get a response.

- Fightful was told that we could expect some WWE 2K updates in January, whether they be official announcements or anonymously sourced. 

-...

Vince McMahon opposed no-cut clauses in WWE contracts

We've learned plenty about the contract negotiation process of WWE deals during what seems to be a new era, but we've gained some clarity in regards to internal feelings about how some were negotiated just before that.

We'd reported last year that no-cut clauses have not been a part of any of the negotiations. In addition, Fightful had learned that Vince McMahon specifically was not in favor of adding a no cut-clause, but that others in the front office were. We've learned that many in ...

Select Portions: FTR, MJF, Ospreay, NJPW, More

- MJF is scheduled to be at this week's AEW Dynamite.

- The Diamond Sheik told the Spotlight (obviously in kayfabe) said they didnt do a diamond ring this year because MJF was confident he was going to win again and he liked the 3rd diamond ring so much he didnt want to change it. Said they’ve already talked about big plans for the five-year anniversary ring next year.

- Talent within AAA believe that FTR are losing their tag team titles sooner than later. 

- Our inte...

Travel woes affect WWE live event

WWE ran live events on December 26 instead of television, but one of them ended up being a logistical mess.

Several WWE talent missed the Columbus live event, with even more showing up late. Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley and Alexa Bliss all missed the event, and several more had to rush to even make the show. Rollins was set to main event against Theory but was replaced by Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano.

WWE passed on running a live televised Raw to give production ...

Former College Football Star Had Been Offered Tryout By Previous WWE Regime

You may remember that University of Kentucky alumni linebacker Kash Daniel was often making pro wrestling references and struck a friendship up with Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows while he was still in school. Fightful learned that Daniel was offered a WWE tryout by Canyon Ceman and the previous WWE regime, but did not end up taking them up on it -- at least as of yet. Those that we spoke to within WWE at the time believed that he still had aspirations of playing professional football, specifi...

Nyla Rose interview notes

Notes from our Nyla Rose interview, dropping Tuesday!

- She drew inspiration from the Home Alone movies for being a great thief

- Her ideal AEW lead in would be a road show with Ethan Page, Brody King and Danhausen and herself going on toy hunts and checking out local restaurants.

- She said it was weird in a positive way to have people asking to see more of her personality on TV. She was very happy about it, and was something she's wanted to do for a while, but was just bei...