Tuesday, May 14, 2024

NXT TakeOver: San Jose scheduled abnormally

Nick Wilkinson
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NXT TakeOver: San Jose scheduled abnormally

NXT TakeOver events normally have a strategic place for when they occur. The shows are traditionally the night before WWE PPVs. The formula for these events tends to revolve around the big four WWE pay-per-views and an additional one prior to a summer event.

TakeOver events are crucial to the NXT product to showcase their talent live. NXT has less than half the number of shows compared to WWE’s pay-per-view annual schedule. The number runs from about five a year.


Per WrestleVotes’s Twitter page, NXT TakeOver: San Jose will take place on June 8. As reported by Heel By Nature, WWE’s pay-per-view for the month of June is scheduled to be Backlash. The date for Backlash is June 16, which is the following weekend from TakeOver: San Jose. Backlash is scheduled to take place in the same city.

The reason for the TakeOver to be on a separate weekend as Backlash is unknown at this time. It could very well be a schedule conflict on the booking of the venue, or perhaps this has something to do with creative? No official word has been mentioned from WWE at this time.

What are your thoughts on TakeOver: San Jose being on a separate weekend from Backlash? Let us know in the comments.

Creative writing role for WWE’s women’s division may change

Nick Wilkinson
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Creative writing role for WWE’s women’s division may change

Johnny Russo has served as a creative writer for WWE since 2011. Russo has a history in sports journalism that includes both on-air and behind the scenes roles. He has served as a director, anchor and producer in his previous work.

Last Word on Pro Wrestling is reporting that Russo will no longer remain in his current role. Neither WWE or Russo have officially announced his change in position or removal from the company at this time.

Russo has been pivotal for the women’s division. Although not a big name on the creative team, he has become head writer for the women. His role is said to be given to an unmentioned female writer.

This news is being presented at the same time we learned about Dana Warrior stepping into a writing position herself. This speculation could be mere coincidence, or maybe Warrior is taking over Russo’s crucial role as the women continue to dominate in the ring. Whether she is taking over this specific position or not, additional female minds in creative writing may lead to different storytelling.

What do you think about this news? Do you think if Russo is exiting out that Warrior is moving in? Let us know in the comments!

Jazz reaches huge accomplishment in NWA

Lauren Founds
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15
Jazz reaches huge accomplishment in NWA

20-year veteran Jazz has hit a huge milestone by holding the NWA World Women’s Championship for 900 days. Her most recent title defense was at the Championship Wrestling from Hollywood taping on February 10th. During that taping she defeated Heather Stone.

Jazz first won the championship at NWA Texoma when she defeated Amber Gallows, who had held the belt for 271 days. During her reign, Jazz has locked up with Penelope Ford, Maria Manic,Jordynne Grace and other amazing women.

The veteran dropped out of college to pursue a career as a pro wrestler. Jazz names WWE Hall of Famer, Jacqueline, as her inspiration to get into the ring. She debuted for ECW in 1999 and also went on to have two separate tenures with WWE. While in WWE, she captured the Women’s Championship twice and had feuds with the likes of Mickie James, Trish Stratus and Lita.

Since leaving WWE in 2007, she has wrestled all over the globe for Shimmer, Chikara and Shine to name a few. Jazz can proudly say she has had a tremendous career and continues to impress in the ring.

What do you think of Jazz’s career thus far? Do you have any favorite matches? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Sources say Ronda Rousey worked herself into a shoot

Lauren Founds
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168
Sources say Ronda Rousey worked herself into a shoot

Unless you having been living under a rock, you should be aware of the controversial Twitter exchange that occurred yesterday between Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch.

Sources within WWE and close to Diva Dirt have learned Ronda Rousey is legitimately pissed off at Lynch, following the social media feud. It seems the two women have worked themselves into a shoot.

Sean Ross Sapp at Fightful, confirms the validity of the information, adding, “Beyond that, Rousey’s terminology on the microphone is widely known in WWE to be confusing and anticlimactic. Everyone we’ve spoken to within the company believes that Rousey’s frustration is real.”

Let’s take you back to where it all began. Becky posted her mugshot photos on Twitter on Tuesday, since she had been “arrested” on Monday’s episode of Raw. Ronda tweeted back at Becky pointing out her “fake” mugshot images. Kayfabe has long been dead, but the audience knowingly enjoys the storylines regardless, pointing out “it’s not real” is a big no-no.

It all went downhill from there. The word “fake” in the wrestling business is a huge faux pas, and should never be used, especially by talent. Ronda proceeded to cross the line, by referring to Becky’s Dis-Arm-Her as a “fake” armbar, and made an offensive reference to male genitalia. The straw that broke the camel’s back, was when Lynch photo-shopped Rousey’s husband face on the said innuendo, basically calling Rousey’s husband Travis Browne a “dick”.


If I was a betting woman, this is when Rousey lost it, and tweeted “Rebecca Quin, I don’t care what the script says, I’m beating the living shit out of you the next time I see you.” First off, she used Becky’s shoot name while referencing “script”, and second, “shit” isn’t a very WWE friendly word.

This is not a good look for Ronda, who is already getting backlash from fans. What started off as friendly banter to build up their impending match at WrestleMania, has led to some very questionable tweets from Rousey.

Although WWE wants big attention for what is to inevitably be the main event at WrestleMania, this is just making many people very uncomfortable. The best thing for Rousey to do, is to take the rumored hiatus from the company after the pay-per-view, and let the dust settle.

What do you think of this Twitter feud between Rousey and Lynch? Has is it gone too far? Leave your comments below.

PROGRESS reveal Jordynne Grace’s next Women’s Title match

Nick Wilkinson
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0
PROGRESS reveal Jordynne Grace’s next Women’s Title match

UPDATE AS OF MARCH 14: Allie Kat revealed via Twitter that her title match against Jordynne Grace will not take place after all. In fact, she will not be appearing for Nova Pro Wrestling “for the foreseeable future.” Stay tuned to Diva Dirt as we report further updates as to why when further details reveal themselves. The original article is as follows:

Jordynne Grace seems to be everywhere on the independent circuit and isn’t showing signs of stopping. She currently holds the PROGRESS Women’s Championship, which she won in December by defeating Jinny. It has been announced via PROGRESS’s Twitter account that Grace will be defending her title on March 30 at NOVA Pro Wrestling against Allie Kat.



Allie Kat responded to the announcement via Twitter. She referred to the title as a treat to go along with her cat persona.

Grace is also scheduled to defend her other championship for Women Superstars Uncensored. She is the current WSU Spirit Champion and will defend this title against Kris Statlander. She was originally slated to defend this title against Leyla Hirsch, but due to injury, Hirsch will not be competing. This will take place at a Combat Zone Wrestling event on March 2.

Along with both of her title defenses, Grace has an opportunity to become the first ever WSW Women’s Championship as well. As previously reported, World Series Wrestling is crowning their first Women’s Champion in a tournament. The winner will be crowned on March 10 in a triple threat match. Grace is on the hunt to capture titles all around the globe.

What do you think of Grace’s quest of capturing all the gold around the world? Discuss in the comment section below. Check back with Diva Dirt for any results on championships changing hands.

Madison Rayne returns to IMPACT Wrestling

Dean Buckley
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42
Madison Rayne returns to IMPACT Wrestling

Madison Rayne, who parted ways with Ring of Honor this week after just six months with the company, has signed with IMPACT Wrestling. IMPACT confirmed the news today with an announcement on their official Twitter account.

Rayne is a five-time Knockouts Champion, as well as a two-time Knockouts Tag Team Champion. Her first tag title reign was as a member of the Beautiful People with Angelina Love and Velvet Sky, while her second was with Gail Kim.

Her departure from ROH stems, according to PWInsider, from creative differences over a potential Beautiful People reunion. Rayne had reportedly suggested bringing Angelina Love and Velvet Sky to ROH to reform the stable (though Sky has been retired for two years). She requested her release when ROH creative rejected her idea. ROH subsequently offered to bring in the Beautiful People provided Rayne feuded with them, rather than reuniting. She turned down the counter offer and ROH granted her release.

This will mark the third run with IMPACT that Madison Rayne has enjoyed in the last decade. She first left the promotion in 2017, in part to attend tryouts at the WWE Performance Center. Though she was unsuccessful in her attempts to sign with WWE, she nonetheless competed in the second Mae Young Classic last year, where she was eliminated in the first round by Mercedes Martinez. Rayne returned to IMPACT later in 2017, but left again in mid-2018 to join ROH.

What do you think of Madison Rayne returning to IMPACT once again? Let us know in the comments.

WWE’s writing team welcomes Dana Warrior

Nick Wilkinson
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WWE’s writing team welcomes Dana Warrior

As reported by Pro Wrestling Sheet, Dana Warrior is joining WWE’s writing team. According to PWS, multiple sources say she was at several television tapings throughout the week. She began working with the creative team where her focus is offering an additional female perspective to the programming.

Dana Warrior is the wife of the late Hall of Famer, The Ultimate Warrior. Although his relationship with WWE was rocky at times, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame just days before his passing. In 2015, a year after his passing, the Warrior Award was introduced and has been a yearly award. Traditionally, Dana presents this award herself at the Hall of Fame ceremony to someone who exudes the spirit of The Ultimate Warrior.

Dana has previously served as a brand ambassador for WWE prior to her new role. As of this writing, her position isn’t permanent yet, but within due time, that could change. WWE nor Dana have made comments on this role change.

What do you think of Dana transitioning into a writer’s role? Could this help the storylines that involve the women roster? Discuss this news in the comment section below.

Karen Q makes her NXT Live debut

Nick Wilkinson
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Karen Q makes her NXT Live debut

Former Ring of Honor star Karen Q made her debut for the NXT brand at a live event last evening in Tampa, FL. She was recently signed to WWE and reported to the Performance Center. Along with Rachael Ellering, Karen Q was the only other woman brought into this class. Her debut came in the form of tag team action.

Karen Q has made a previous appearance for WWE. She was involved in the second season of the Mae Young Classic. She suffered a defeat in the first round to Xia Li.

As reported by Squared Circle Sirens, Karen Q teamed up with Lacey Lane in a losing effort against Aliyah and Vanessa Borne. Starting the match off as a babyface appeared to be too much for her. After the match, she attacked her own tag team partner. In this response to a fan on Twitter, she explains that Lane deserved it.

It may be a little unorthodox for a heel turn in someone’s debut house show match. This could mean big things to come for the self-proclaimed Asian Invasion as she makes her way up the ladder. It could also signify that she will be a loner and does not need help from a tag team partner.

What do you think of Karen Q’s first match? Are you excited to see what is to come from her? Discuss her potential in the comments below!

Shanna vs. Emi Sakura at AWW Breaking Point 2013

Dean Buckley
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Shanna vs. Emi Sakura at AWW Breaking Point 2013

Free Match Friday is a weekly feature from Diva Dirt. Every Friday, we’ll spotlight a great indie match available to watch for free online. Some of the best wrestling in the world is happening in high school gyms and sports bars and even, occasionally, in an appropriate venue for a wrestling match. This week, our free match is a legendary bout between Shanna and Emi Sakura at AWW Breaking Point 2013.

One of the things that makes wrestling such a magical art form is that, in the hands of its most skilled performers, an all-time great match can be turned out at the drop of a hat. This match was originally supposed to be Shanna vs Kay Lee Ray, but Ray was sidelined with a last-minute injury. Emi Sakura happened to be in England that weekend for a title defense at EVE, and she graciously agreed to fill in for Ray in what ended up as one of the best independent women’s matches ever.

I know that’s a big claim, but I defy anyone to watch this match and tell me this isn’t two masters of the craft at the height of their powers. Lots of wrestlers sacrifice some precision to deliver moves with more speed and therefore more brutality. But both performers pull off a litany of devastating moves with perfect form at breakneck speed. Sakura absolutely wrecks Shanna early in the match with a swinging neckbreaker that would be the highlight of most women’s matches in any of the major promotions. But it’s just a taste of what’s to come.

Emi Sakura is rightly considered a living legend of women’s wrestling, and she’s on incredible form here, from the biggest spots to the smallest details. She kicks out of a pin like it’s life or death. Shanna is almost as brilliant, at least enough to look credible against Sakura. Her ring awareness is astounding, as demonstrated in two nail-biting rope breaks, and she lays out her opponent with a discus forearm off the ropes at one point that looks a million bucks.

But I don’t want to give away too many spots. Half the fun of this match is how dynamic and spontaneous it feels, how the spots grow organically out of the flow of the match, yet still manage to surprise. (Also, not to veer credit away from the wrestlers, but the ref does an amazing job counting what feels like the closest near fall in history. It’s really something else.) This Wolverhampton crowd clearly had no clue who Emi Sakura was at the top of the match, but by the end, both performers get a standing ovation, and rightly so. I can’t praise this match highly enough. Just watch it.

Check back in with Diva Dirt next week for another great free match from the world of independent women’s wrestling. You can find even more matches AND support independent women’s wrestling over at ClickWrestle.

Priscilla Kelly announces free agency on Twitter

Kristen Ashly
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Priscilla Kelly announces free agency on Twitter

This evening, Priscilla Kelly announced via Twitter that she was a free agent, and asked her followers where she should wrestle next.

Kristen Ashly of Diva Dirt reached out to Kelly to comment on her free agency. She commented on her departure as being amicable, and expressed how ready she was to move on to other opportunities.

“I was signed to a two-year deal with WWN that has ended. I have a good relationship with WWN. however, I’m open to exploring all of my options at the moment.”

World Wrestling Network (WWN) is an American professional wrestling promotion and, media and video on demand service. WWN is the umbrella over promotions including EVOLVE, SHINE, and Full Impact Pro.

Priscilla Kelly is best known for her time at SHINE Wrestling, including her reign as SHINE Nova Champion. “Hell’s Favorite Harlot” was featured in the second Mae Young Classic, losing to Deonna Purrazzo in the first round. Kelly often uses biting, licking, and “gross-out” tactics to get an advantage over her opponents.

Check back with Diva Dirt for more news on Hell’s Favorite Harlot!

Who would you like to see Priscilla sign with?

Rosemary re-signs with IMPACT Wrestling

Nick Wilkinson
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6
Rosemary re-signs with IMPACT Wrestling

IMPACT Wrestling’s official Twitter account has confirmed that Rosemary has re-signed with the company. This was initially announced via the Press Pass podcast. She is a former Knockouts Champion with an impressive 266-day reign.

Rosemary has recently returned from an injury that sidelined her for eight months. Her injury was a tear to her ACL that she suffered during an independent show. Ending a storyline with Allie and Su Yung, she was “buried” as a way to write her off programming.

Her return last month during IMPACT’s Homecoming pay-per-view showcased her saving Kiera Hogan from Allie and Su Yung. She originally signed with the company in 2016. The length of her new contract has yet to be confirmed, but if it is for the same length of time we could see another three years of The Demon Assassin.

Rosemary shows she has plenty left to prove as she comments on Twitter, saying “We’ve too much unfinished business.” Could this potentially have Rosemary as a contender once again for the Knockouts Championship? She is certainly no stranger to holding gold, even beyond the Knockouts title. Her previous accomplishments include the Bellatrix World Championship and the GCW W.I.L.D. Championship, as well as the Shimmer Tag Team Championships, with Sara Del Rey.

Leave a comment below to discuss this news. Are you excited to see more of Rosemary on IMPACT?

EVE International Championship match announced

Philip Lindsey
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0
EVE International Championship match announced

Today, Pro-Wrestling: EVE announced a new match for a Stardom World event in Nagoya, on Mar. 3. Utami Hayashishita will defend the EVE International Championship for the first time against Bea Priestley.

The first title defense has been regarded as a champion’s curse in EVE. The last International Champion, Viper, lost her first title defense against Utami on Jan. 14 at a Stardom event at Korakuen Hall. Viper held two titles at the time, making Hayashishita both the International Champion and SWA Champion when she pinned her for the win.

Utami, the Tokyo Sports 2018 Rookie of the Year, is currently a quadruple champion. Along with the two titles she won from Viper, she holds both the Goddess of Stardom Championship as a tag team with Momo Watanabe, and the Future of Stardom Championship as a singles competitor.

The challenger, Bea Priestley, coincidentally defeated Viper four days after Utami’s victory to become the WOS Women’s Champion, before dropping the title back to her a week later. The recent AEW signee had chance to regain the title in a triple threat match, but unfortunately lost to Kay Lee Ray.

The EVE International Championship match will stream live on Mar. 3 at 12 pm at the International Conference Hall.

Charly Caruso joining the cast of Total Divas

Lauren Founds
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Charly Caruso joining the cast of Total Divas

Another cast member has been added to the upcoming ninth season of Total Divas. Charly Caruso confirmed on her Twitter account that she is joining the cast. Caruso debuted in August 2016 on NXT. She now covers the majority of backstage segments and in-ring interviews on Raw.

Caruso is a veteran in announcing and worked in local news before signing with WWE. Along with WWE, Caruso also works for sports media giant ESPN. She was hired by the company in October of last year and has filled a variety of roles for the company.

We previously reported that Sonya Deville and Ronda Rousey have also joined the cast for the upcoming season of the reality show. Leaving the show next season are original cast members The Bella Twins and also Lana, along with her husband Rusev. The couple were removed from the series due to supposed unlikeability. Lana was very vocal when Rousey joined the cast, so the addition of Caruso is unlikely to assuage her bitterness.

E! Network has yet to announce a premiere date for the new season but they have been filming since January. Stay tuned for any more updates about cast changes.

What do you think of Charly Caruso joining the cast of Total Divas? Leave your comments below.

First look at this week’s WOW on AXS TV

Nick Wilkinson
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First look at this week’s WOW on AXS TV

In just a few shorts weeks since Tessa Blanchard captured the vacant WOW Championship, she is feeling the heat. All eyes are on her title as Jungle Grrrl will continue to claw her way back to the gold. Jungle Grrrl has the longest reign of the title’s history, and is out to snag a second reign.

One of the upcoming matches for the new episode includes the Monster Of Madness, Havok, taking on the energetic Eye Candy. Eye Candy is currently healing up from neck surgery, and we here at Diva Dirt wish her a healthy recovery. Fans who would like to keep up with her recovery can visit her on social media @w_nightingale_ and @wow_eyecandy. Episodes of WOW were filmed last year, explaining the difference in Eye Candy’s health.

Other matches on this episode include Jessie Jones vs. Chantilly Chella, The Temptress vs. Fire, Azteca vs. Kobra Moon, and The Beverly Hills Babe vs. Jungle Grrrl. Jungle Grrrl has Blanchard in her sights, but is she focused enough on her current challenger to get that chance?


Check out a first look of the newest episode in the video at the top of this article!

Check out new episodes of WOW every Friday on AXS TV, starting at 9 p.m. EST.

Check back with Diva Dirt on further action and news from the Women of Wrestling! Who will be after Tessa’s title next?

Madison Rayne released from ROH

Lauren Founds
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50
Madison Rayne released from ROH

Mike Johnson at PWInsider just reported that Madison Rayne has been released from her contract with Ring of Honor. He confirmed this news with several sources. Apparently, Rayne was unhappy with the creative direction they were taking with her character and both parties made the amicable decision to part ways.

Rayne has only been with the company since September of this past year. She has wrestled in many promotions over her 14-year career most notable in Impact Wrestling. During her tenure with the company, she was a five time Knockouts Champion. She also held the Knockouts Tag Team Championship twice; once with Gail Kim and the other as part of the trio, The Beautiful People.

Prior to being signed with Ring of Honor, Rayne was a participant in the second Mae Young Classic under the name Ashley Rayne. Unfortunately, she was defeated in the first round by Mercedes Martinez.

So what’s next for Madison Rayne? Perhaps a return to Impact, or maybe the free agent will catch the eye of All Elite Wrestling as they fill their women’s division.

Keep checking back with Diva Dirt for updates on her career. Where do you want Madison Rayne to wrestle next? Leave a comment below and let us know

Raven Creed vs Debbie Keitel set for OTT ScrapperMania 5

Dean Buckley
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0
Raven Creed vs Debbie Keitel set for OTT ScrapperMania 5

OTT Women’s Champion Raven Creed will defend her title against long-time rival Debbie Keitel at ScrapperMania. OTT announced the match on Twitter earlier today.

Raven Creed and Dabbie Keitel have enjoyed an incredible feud over the past two years, across multiple promotions and countries. Their conflict began back in 2017, at the now-defunct Celtic Championship Wrestling (CCW). They faced each other for the CCW Women’s Championship four times at CCW, including in Ireland’s first ever women’s ladder match. Their rivalry reignited in OTT following CCW’s demise, when Creed inserted herself in a conflict between the freshly-minted alliance of Keitel and Valkyrie and their former tag partners Amy Allonsy and Katey Harvey.

After attacking Keitel and Valkyrie on Twitter, Creed’s non-title match with Valkyrie at Live in Belfast 3 ended in a DQ when Keitel interfered. Creed was subsequently set to tag with Harvey and Allonsy against Keitel, Valkyrie and Veda Scott, but events played out otherwise. Allonsy no-showed the match at OTT Contenders 13, so it was continued as a 2-on-3 handicap match. However, a botch led to Katey Harvey exiting with two broken elbows, while Creed struggled on without allies. Debbie Keitel ultimately got the pin for her team, and therefore, it seems, the first shot at Creed’s title.

ScrapperMania 5 is being promoted as an “Ireland vs the World” event. In addition to Creed vs Keitel, Meiko Satomura will return to OTT to face Session Moth Martina. The event is set for March 16th at the National Stadium in Dublin. It will be preceded by a night of stand-up comedy featuring, among other spectacles, a blind date with the Session Moth.

Check back in with Diva Dirt for live coverage of OTT ScrapperMania this Saint Patrick’s Day.

Five more wrestlers AEW should sign immediately

Dean Buckley
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Five more wrestlers AEW should sign immediately

All Elite Wrestling have made slow progress with their women’s division as of yet. While the men’s division grows like clockwork, they haven’t yet signed enough women for an eight-person tournament.

Bea Priestley was announced as a new signee on the latest episode of Road to Double or Nothing and while that news is certainly welcome, it’s still concerning how long it’s taking AEW to fill out their women’s roster. I don’t know if the more established companies have just snapped up too many stars in recent years or there are other issues behind the scenes stopping AEW from scooping up more talent.

Either way, it’s an unsustainable situation. We need to hear names. Luckily, I have a few suggestions.

Jazzy Gabert officially signs with NXT UK

Lauren Founds
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Jazzy Gabert officially signs with NXT UK

WWE announced on Twitter today that Jazzy Gabert has officially signed with NXT UK, to no great surprise. She appeared at ringside at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool in January, along with fellow signee Kay Lee Ray.

Standing at 6 feet 1 inches, she is a huge acquisition for the NXT women’s division. The 17-year veteran has wrestled all over the world, holding many championships along the way.

Alpha Female is a legit powerhouse who placed herself firmly on WWE’s radar when she appeared in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Although she was defeated in the first round by Abbey Laith, she made a lasting impression on the crowd.

WWE had originally offered Gabert a contract after she appeared in the Mae Young Classic in 2017. Unfortunately, they rescinded their offer because Gabert required neck surgery. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and WWE came back with a new offer.

Gabert joins Kay Lee Ray and Viper as the most recent signee’s to NXT’s UK division. The women in the roster over the pond may be some of the most talented women in the world. Along with, Rhea Ripley, Toni Storm and Killer Kelly to name a few, the matches should be outstanding to say the least

What do you think of WWE signing Jazzy Gabert to NXT UK? Leave a comment below.

All Elite Wrestling announces newest signee Bea Priestley

Philip Lindsey
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11
All Elite Wrestling announces newest signee Bea Priestley

As previously reported, Brandi Rhodes revealed that she would be announcing a new female talent on the latest episode of “Road to Double or Nothing.” Today, All Elite Wrestling confirmed Bea Priestley will be their newest signee.

Priestley got her start in January 2016 with UK-based promotion, IPW. She is also well-known for her time with What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW), now known as Defiant Wrestling. In the last three years, she went on to work with other promotions, including Eve, Rev Pro, PROGRESS, Stardom and World of Sport.

Last Sunday, she competed at PROGRESS Chapter 84, losing to Millie McKenzie. There are numerous references in the episode to her matches with Brandi from Stardom and Fight Forever Wrestling, where Priestley “kicked her very hard in the face”. This could hint at an eventual match between the two later this year.

Bea Priestley will join AEW for their July show, Fight for The Fallen, in Jacksonville, Florida. In other news, Brandi also announced the company is working with KultureCity to make Double or Nothing the first sensory-inclusive wrestling event. They will provide packets at the show for those who have trouble processing sensory information when they’re at large events.

What do you think about AEW’s latest women’s signing? Sound off in the comments below.

Velvet Sky on her negative experience backstage with WWE

Nick Wilkinson
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83
Velvet Sky on her negative experience backstage with WWE

The former two-time Knockouts Champion Velvet Sky explained her experience with WWE from 2006. Her response was a reply to Joey Ryan explaining his experience as an enhancement talent. This time period was prior to when she reached success with the Impact Wrestling promotion.

Ryan’s original tweet explains how he experienced negative reactions from WWE’s roster backstage. Former WWE wrestler Lance Storm responded to Ryan’s tweet in regards to the generalization.

Once Storm replied, Ryan did explain that he could only speak from his own experience. He continues to further clarify his intention behind his tweet. He speaks on topics that include changing in broom closets and also receiving backlash from sitting in catering, even though he was instructed to do so.

Sky enters the conversation by explaining her encounters. She says that having a broom closet to change in would make you “lucky.” When she was invited as an extra, she was kicked out of the Diva’s locker room and had to change in the men’s bathroom with the male extras instead. This was all because she was viewed as a “threat” by a female wrestler at the time.

Sky addresses a fan by explaining that she was not and currently is not a threat. She was simply following her dream at the time and that Ryan is not incorrect with his tweet. Unfortunately, their experiences were quite common amongst the indie wrestlers who were trying to make a name for themselves. Ryan does respond to Storm with, “I’m just happy that the culture of fear is changing.”

The full report of this conversation can be viewed at Wrestling Inc.

What do you think of what Sky experienced during her interaction with WWE’s roster backstage? Discuss your opinion in the comments below!

Jordynne Grace adds two first-time matches to her resume

Lauren Founds
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4
Jordynne Grace adds two first-time matches to her resume

Jordynne Grace may just be the hardest working women in independent wrestling. At just 22 years old, she is making rounds all over the globe facing the fiercest competition the world has to offer.

Thick Mama Pump, as she calls herself, can add two more names to her growing list of competitors. Nova Pro announced for the first time ever Grace will go one-on-one with Harlow O’Hara at Born To Run. The show takes place on the Saturday night of WrestleMania weekend, at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ.

Grace is no stranger to intergender wrestling. In another first-time match up she will take on Joey Ryan in Melbourne, Australia. The show takes place on March 8th at WSW’s International Assault Defend and Destroy. They are fighting on the second night of the five-night series.

There are very few promotions Jordynne Grace hasn’t wrestled for. At such a young age, the sky is the limit for her and her career. Grace is already an eight-year veteran, debuting in 2011 at the tender age of 13. She literally hasn’t stopped since her debut.

Who else do you hope she will battle in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

LuFisto announces her retirement

Joe Anthony Myrick
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5
LuFisto announces her retirement

It is with a heavy heart and a tear in our eyes that we must report that wrestling veteran LuFisto has just announced her retirement.

It was just last Monday that we reported about LuFisto’s nagging knee injury that kept her off of the Femme Fatales 21 card. She sustained the sprain in her right knee after falling down some stairs, but as the former longest reigning SHINE Champion would explain, this has been a consistent injury she’s suffered for years now.

In a heartbreaking Facebook post, LuFisto noted that she first injured her right knee back in 2002 and went back to wrestling two months later. She’s “ignored aches and pains” in the same leg and has been wrestling with no ACL, MCL or meniscus ever since. LuFisto further explained that the cartilage in her knee is steadily deteriorating to the point where “the joint looks like an 80-year old knee.”

The former WSU World Champion will need a full knee replacement before she turns 50, but the operation could affect her “ability to walk and perform regular day to day activities.” For the sake of sustaining her health, this led LuFisto to say the following: “I have decided that 2019 will be the last year of LuFisto.”

She mentioned that she’s cancelled several bookings already and may cancel more, though there are some people and places where she wants to wrestle one last time before hanging up her boots. We at Diva Dirt hope that LuFisto finds happiness in the next chapter of her life.

lufisto
via sorel.tracyexpress.ca

Stay tuned with Diva Dirt for updates on news regarding LuFisto’s final tour dates.

SmackDown Women’s Championship match set for Fastlane

Philip Lindsey
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115
SmackDown Women’s Championship match set for Fastlane

Looks like another match was announced for Fastlane. After this week’s episode of SmackDown went off the air, WWE confirmed via a Twitter exclusive that Asuka will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Mandy Rose.

Mandy made an official announcement after SmackDown during a backstage interview with Kayla Braxton. This challenge is coming off the heels of Rose’s stunning win over the champion last week, where she feigned an injury to get the upper hand and pin the Empress of Tomorrow. Now, Rose says she’s going to do it again for the title at Fastlane.

In other women’s news from that night, Charlotte took to the ring to comment on Ronda Rousey seemingly vacating the Raw Women’s Championship last night on Raw. She took shots at both Rousey and Becky Lynch. She implied Vince McMahon will crown her the new champion next week to a chorus of boos.

What do you think? Drop a comment below with your opinion on the state of both Women’s Championships and be sure to check back with Diva Dirt for more updates on Fastlane.

Brandi Rhodes to announce new AEW talent tomorrow

Dean Buckley
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Brandi Rhodes to announce new AEW talent tomorrow

All Elite Wrestling’s Chief Brand Officer, Brandi Rhodes, revealed that she will be announcing a new female talent tomorrow, on the next episode of “Road to Double or Nothing”. Rhodes took to Twitter to express her excitement.

Speculation about the future of All Elite’s women’s division has continued at a feverish pace even after the announced women’s triple threat match at Double or Nothing. That match will feature official AEW signees Kylie Rae, Nyla Rose and Dr. Britt Baker, who represent over half of the entire women’s division at time of writing. AEW are known to be actively hunting female talent, but progress seems to be much slower than with the men’s division. Diva Dirt’s Kristen Ashly previously broke the news that WOW’s Abilene Maverick, who competes elsewhere as Barbi Hayden, had inconclusive talks with AEW.

Brandi Rhodes is herself one of the five women on the All Elite roster, along with Rae, Rose, Baker and Penelope Ford. Baker is the only female competitor signed with All Elite who competed at its precursor event, All In. Her three opponents in that event’s four corners match, Tessa Blanchard, Chelsea Green and Madison Rayne, are signed with Impact, WWE and Ring of Honor respectively, and therefore out of AEW’s reach. Jordynne Grace, who made a surprise appearance in All In’s Over Budget Battle Royale, is also signed with Impact.

Who do you think AEW should sign to its fledgling women’s division? Let us know in the comments, and check back in tomorrow for our coverage of the latest AEW news.

Becky Lynch thinks the women had the better Rumble match

Nick Wilkinson
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Becky Lynch thinks the women had the better Rumble match

In January, we witnessed the second annual Women’s Royal Rumble match. Fans seem to have preferred this year’s women’s match over the men’s. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion and current Royal Rumble winner, Becky Lynch says the women were better.

From The Sun Sport, Lynch opened up about her feelings from the Royal Rumble. The Man gave kudos to the women, as well as herself. “I’ll say it like it is, the Women’s Rumble was better. We’ve got incredible female athletes at the moment with wonderful characters that people can get invested in and care about. Everybody’s trying to step it up, especially since The Man came around and I love that – I love the competition.”

On the state of the women’s division, she continues, “I didn’t want anything given to us on a token gesture basis. I wanted it to be earned and to be undeniable. I wanted it to be something the fans wanted – not something the fans were told that they wanted. I wanted it to be organic and that’s what we’re having right now. That makes me more proud than anything.”

Who do you think showcased a better Royal Rumble match this year? Do you agree with The Man? Let’s discuss this in the comment section below!

Women’s Tag Title match is set for Fastlane

Philip Lindsey
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Women’s Tag Title match is set for Fastlane

A new match was announced for Fastlane on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. Sasha Banks and Bayley will defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Nia Jax and Tamina.

This will be their first televised title defense since the Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection won the titles to become the inaugural champions back at Elimination Chamber earlier this month. WWE made the announcement during Bayley’s match against Nia. The Hugger went on to pick up the win and early bragging rights.

It was easy to guess Nia and Tamina would be their first challengers after they came out to interrupt the champions last week before Banks and Bayley ran them off. Now, the match is official.

In other WWE women’s division news, recent developments between Ronda Rousey and The McMahons suggest it’s unlikely we will see her defend the Raw Women’s Championship at Fastlane. Tonight, Rousey left the title in the ring with Stephanie McMahon following an altercation with Becky Lynch.

It’s unclear where WWE is going with that angle. Regardless, that still leaves us with the possibility for at least two women’s championship matches on the card, assuming that Asuka defends the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Fastlane. Her challenger has yet to be announced.

Check back with Diva Dirt for more news on the card for Fastlane.

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