Saturday, May 11, 2024

Stephanie McMahon Eyeing a Match at WrestleMania 32?

Erin
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Stephanie McMahon Eyeing a Match at WrestleMania 32?

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WWE Principal Owner Stephanie McMahon may be eyeing a return to the ring – at WrestleMania, no less.

Stephanie, who last competed at SummerSlam 2014, tweeted after a late night workout last night, noting that she’s getting in shape for WrestleMania 32:

This in no way confirms that Stephanie is actually planning on wrestling at the event – she could merely be referencing the urge to be in top form for the biggest show of the year.

Nevertheless, the comments have fueled fan speculation, which has been brewing since her run-in with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 31. Rousey’s active film schedule appears to have prevented a match between the two at WrestleMania 32, but another cameo has yet to be ruled out.

Despite holding the Women’s Title and taking part in several high profile feuds, Stephanie has yet to wrestle at a WrestleMania.

Carmella Wins Number One Contendership to NXT Women’s Title

Erin
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Carmella Wins Number One Contendership to NXT Women’s Title

Tonight on NXT, Carmella became the new number one contender to Bayley‘s NXT Women’s Title.

In a Battle Royal that included Alexa Bliss, Aliyah, Asuka, Billie Kay, Cameron, Deonna Purrazzo, Emma, Eva Marie, Liv Morgan and Peyton Royce, Carmella picked up a sneaky win after spending much of the last part of match outside the ring. Eva Marie, after eliminating Asuka, thought herself to be the winner of the match, but Carmella slipped back into the ring and surprised Eva, tossing her out of the ring and claiming victory.

Carmella will receive her shot at Bayley’s title at the NXT television tapings on Friday, January 22nd. The tapings, part of Royal Rumble festivities in Orlando, will take place at the University of Central Florida.

Impact Write-Up (January 12th, 2016): Pain & Pleasure

Josue
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Impact Write-Up (January 12th, 2016): Pain & Pleasure


Last week, The Dollhouse stable gained a massive new leader when Awesome Kong took on the role as headmistress of the group. This week, our new fierce leader takes on her first challenge of leading her dolls to a win over The Beautiful People members Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne in a Street Fight. These repetitive Dollhouse vs. Beautiful People tag matches are beginning to get really old really quick.

On a slightly more interesting angle, TNA has released a new vignette for an upcoming Knockout by the name of Raquel, not to be confused with former NXT talent Raquel Diaz. We also get a brief appearance from wrestling wives Maria Kanellis and Reby Sky, as both of their leading men have sight on TNA’s World Heavyweight title.

In our first Knockouts sighting, we meet up with the Jeremy Borash backstage along with the entire Dollhouse clan. JB is a man on a mission, looking to get answers as to why Kong has suddenly teamed up with her former tormentors:

Esperarte un momento JB, it isn’t that easy to be able to have the privilege of speaking to Kong. As per an unwritten memo, he has to first go through Marti Bell. Speaking on behalf of the group, Marti explains that while there were many concerns about The Dollhouse’s walls crumbling down (translation: where would The Dolllhouse go with Taryn Terell departing from TNA) the group is actually stronger than ever. This all thanks to the addition of Awesome Kong.

Kong signals for JB to come closer and blankly asks her interviewer if he hates her. She repeats the question only this time directs to the viewing audience at home, do we hate Kong? Not sure if hate is the right word but I will say that I’m absolutely thrilled for this vocal side of Kong!

Kong continues by calling out Knockouts Champion Gail Kim, whom she has a future title shot against, but gets interrupted when Velvet and Madison enter the picture looking for a fight.

The Beautiful People tell “The Doghouse”, as Velvet likes to call them, that instead of worrying about Gail Kim they should worry about them instead.

Velvet lashes out at Kong, admitting that though they have never been friends, she plans on kicking her ass! Madison interject next and adds that unlike their heel rivals, they don’t need to jump anyone from behind. Instead, they’ll do it right in their face and with that Madison attacks bystanders Jade and Rebel while Velvet goes after Kong and Marti. In the midst of this classic backstage brawl scenario, we go to a quick break.

When we return from our break, the Knockouts backstage brawl would find its way to the ring. A listen over to Josh Matthews over at the commentary table would reveal that this is now a street fight tag match between The Beautiful People and Kong and Jade of The Dollhouse.

All the action begins on the outside ring as Jade takes it upon herself to deal with Velvet while Kong targets Madison. Making the most of the outside environment, Kong tosses Madison face first to a steel post while Jade takes Velvet to the entrance ramp to land a pile driver.

Velvet safely counters Jade offense with a suplex, causing some serious back damage to Jade as well as herself. When Velvet recollects herself, she tries to exploit more outside damage to Jade by whipping her to the steel steps. Alas, the attempt is backfired when Jade reverses Velvet’s whip, sending The Beautiful People member’s back to the steel steps.

Inside the ring, Kong has complete control over Madison, choking her with the use of the second rope. All while this is happening, Jade is scouting for weapons from under the ring and tossing them to the inside. It rains kendo sticks, trash can and a steel chair. The audience begin a “We want tables!” chant but no table make it in this time around.

Jade makes the most of the chair she brought in to the ring and carefully places it in a corner. She then hauls Madison to the same corner and looks to hit a chair styled rolling thunder. Madison rolls out the way just in time causing Jade to hit the chair instead.

However, Madison doesn’t get very far with Kong still lurking in the ring. The Dollhouse leader grabs Madison and lifts her in the air to allow Jade to get some payback using a trash can lid to attack the back of Madison Rayne.

A stunned Madison drops to the mat and Jade tries to follow up with an out of reach lionsault but misses. Kong tries to play off the numbers advantage again but this time Velvet returns to the ring with a chair in hand.

Using the steel chair, Velvet strikes Kong in the back and then face first, bringing Kong to a halt. She doesn’t stop there as Velvet then begins to make work of Jade. She hits a three kick combo to Jade to follow up with a bulldog onto her steel chair weapon of choice that has been carefully placed in the middle of the ring.

With both Dollhouse members taken out, outside dolls Marti and Rebel take it upon themselves to now get involve in this match. It’s all legal under these street fight rules after all. Little did they know that upon entering the ring, Madison would have two kendo sticks that had Marti and Rebel’s name written on it.

Madison tosses one of the kendo sticks to Velvet and the two beat down the interfering dolls before they can make an escape. With the outside interference taken care of, The Beautiful People turn back their attention to Awesome Kong and take a full swing at her with the very same kendo sticks. They beat Kong down until she is flat on the ground.

Madison climbs the second rope to hit a flying missile dropkick to a recovering Kong and goes for the cover. The effort only earns Madison a two count on Kong. Meanwhile, Velvet gets taken out of the picture thanks to a running big boot from Jade.

Left to fend for herself, Madison falls victim to a packaged piledriver from Jade. The deadly maneuver is enough to keep Madison down for the three count, giving this week’s win over to The Dollhouse.

Shortly after our Knockouts match of the night, we get our tease of a vignette. In a short video clip, we hear the voice of a woman by the name of Raquel:

She believes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She will bring pain and she will bring pleasure. For one member of the TNA roster, payback is coming as Raquel is a woman of action, not words. Hmm, a very interesting character is brewing.

Maria and hubby “Miracle” Mike Bennett are next in our Impact Wrestling tour this week:

Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are seen backstage in search of the one and only Ethan Carter III. Mike echoes to the TNA Heavyweight Champion of his promise last week of being a miracle to TNA by getting rid of the all of the current dinosaurs. Looking at you Tyrus!

Mike continues by congratulating Ethan on his win over Matt Hardy for the gold and to keep a close eye for him in his debut match next week. An unimpressed Ethan casually carries on, stating that Mike can claim to be some kind of miracle but he isn’t a world champion…. for now according to Mike.

Speaking of Matt Hardy and the TNA World Heavyweight Title, he and his wife wrap things up this week with the help of Mr. Kennedy:

In his first talk show gig, titled “Huh!!??” (you read that correctly), Mr. Kennedy invites the entire Hardy family, including baby Maxwell, as his first guests.

In the sit down interview, Kennedy talks about Matt’s journey up this point, including some things that perhaps the wife would rather not hear. Much like the dull name of this segment, Reby and Baby Maxwell are completely unamused and decide to end things by getting up an walking out. Better luck (and please find a better show name) next time Kennedy.

When we see Matt again, he is backstage with his brother Jeff Hardy in the hopes that Ethan will give him a rematch after hearing his offer of putting his career on the line. A concerned Reby pulls Matt to the side to have a private conversation:

Thoughts: A mixed bag of feelings on this week’s show.

The biggest thing that I had hope to have seen from Kong stepping in as the leader of The Dollhouse was the chance for her to grow as a character by speaking. This week we saw that and I think Kong nailed her pre-match promo! Whilst Marti can be seen as the mic piece of the group, we know that Kong can talk as well and her small prom was a nice segway to the street fight. We want to see more of that side of Kong!

As far as the street fight goes, it was all right. Not the most impressive of street fight but it was decent enough to feel as though this wasn’t the third time these two factions have had a match against each other. TNA’s current problem with the Knockouts is that these tag matches become pointless when they’re done in a repetitive style like we’re seeing with no real end game aside from being the ‘better’ team.

One suggestion to sort of help spark things up would be to begin to build some friction within the Dollhouse group, who already out number The Beautiful People by two members. The only problem is that it would feel as though a group is breaking up too soon but I say it’ll be fine, more so if it turns out with Jade being the one venturing as a solo performer.

I’m not too sure how I feel about Raquel just yet. The introduction was interesting for a Knockout and this at least gets the attention of fans early on but the character just seems cliché. Perhaps when an actual debut happens and we learn more about Raquel along with her motives, I can get a better grip of how I actually feel about her.

Though Maria and Reby are both playing the role of wrestling wives, I think it was interesting to see different views from each of them. Maria is more supportive as she and Mike are the newest addition to the TNA roster where as Reby is being seen more ruffled by her already established husband’s desire to be World Champion again. Going as far as raising the stakes by risking his career for a title match. It’ll be interesting to see if any of this will change how the women manage their husbands in their matches but it’s always grest to see women being used throughout the show.

That’s it for this week Knockout fans, hasta luego!

Trash Talk: The Next Diva Hall of Famer

Jake
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Trash Talk: The Next Diva Hall of Famer

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On Monday, the WWE kicked off the announcements of this year’s Hall of Fame class. The first inductee will be none other than “The Icon” Sting. After all of his accomplishments, it’s a well-deserved recognition. But let’s be for real: all of us Diva fans out there are more eagerly anticipating the announcement of this year’s female inductee.

Unfortunately, the WWE usually limits the Hall of Fame class to one woman per year. The past few years, we’ve had some extremely notable names in Trish Stratus, Lita, Alundra Blayze and Wendi Richter. We’re all hoping this year continues the tradition of inducting a well deserving woman, especially given the strides Divas have made this past year. Let’s take a look at some potential nominees.

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Sable

I think it’s a bit of a head scratcher for most fans that Sable hasn’t been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame yet. At one point, she was one of the WWE’s main attractions – male or female. Appropriately for this year, she was one of the pioneers of a bit of a revolution for the Divas in the ‘90’s, taking them from managers in long gowns to sex symbols and legitimate athletes in the ring. Sable’s popularity transcended all of the other women in WWE at the time and led to a successful Women’s Title reign, multiple Playboy covers and involvement with some of the biggest names in WWE.

Most fans aren’t really sure what is holding back the WWE from inducting Sable. The legal issues the two once had have blown over, considering Sable had a second run in the company in 2003-04 and quickly becoming a popular character once again. Her husband, Brock Lesnar, is also currently a WWE Superstar. One of the reasons she’s been held back may be WWE’s reluctance to put their relationship in the spotlight. WWE has never referenced their marriage and Sable has hardly been seen since leaving in 2004.

Now is the ideal time to induct Sable. Her family is on good terms, women’s wrestling has made significant strides – why not induct the reason the WWE finally let the women have a significant role?

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Jacqueline

Sable may have been center stage in 1998, but we can’t ignore her main foe for most of that year: Jacqueline. In fact, Jackie was the first Women’s Champion when the title was reinstated that year. She also made history with this win by becoming the first African American Women’s Champion.

Besides the incredible matches Jackie has had throughout her career, she’s also made a lot of WWE history by competing in multiple intergender matches, including a match against Chavo Guerrero in which she captured the Cruiserweight Championship. With the win, she became the third woman to hold the belt, following Daffney and WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze.

Jackie often isn’t given enough credit for the hard work she put in during her WWE tenure. She never really got the opportunity to be the top woman in the company, but she was always a consistent worker and put over anyone, including Stephanie McMahon. In a year where wrestling history was made by women, it’s only fitting to induct the woman who was brought into WWE for one reason: to wrestle.

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Miss Elizabeth

With Randy Savage’s induction last year, many of us thought the big female name in the class would be Miss Elizabeth. There have been many women who claim to be the first Diva, but there is one true First Lady of wrestling and that is Elizabeth. Liz spent most of her career as Macho Man’s valet and dazzled fans with her beauty.

Elizabeth was the first woman who fans really cared about. She put her all into any storyline she was thrown into and held her own in a locker room literally full of men. She also had the first real shocking moment for WWE women when she tore her dress off at SummerSlam to reveal a short mini skirt, showing that valets could have a little sex appeal.

Miss Elizabeth was pure class, and although she is sadly no longer with us, it would be incredible to see her finally be recognized as a WWE Hall of Famer.

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Luna Vachon

A long overdue induction to the WWE Hall of Fame goes to Luna Vachon. In fact, a long overdue recognition of her hard work is due. Luna is another woman who was never really the “it” girl for the WWE, but she was always one of their most memorable characters.

Luna had a memorable feud right off the bat in her WWE career with Sensational Sherri, in a time where women really weren’t given the spotlight to have rivalries. Shortly after, she was one of the first few women to compete at WrestleMania, picking up a win in a Mixed Tag Team match. Luna was also one of the cornerstones of the briefly revived women’s division in the mid ‘90s, competing in multiple matches against WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze.

Perhaps Luna’s best-known work was in her second run in 1998, when she managed Goldust in a feud against Marc Mero and Sable. The four had a Mixed Tag Team match at WrestleMania 14, where Luna put on one of the show’s most memorable women’s matches.

Luna may not have been the most well-known Women’s Champion, but she was always memorable. She had mic skills that were miles ahead of most of the other women and, with her unique look, was not afraid to do anything and everything on screen.

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Ivory

Ivory was such an incredible find by WWE’s talent department. She came into the company as a manager for D’Lo Brown and Mark Henry, but that role was short-lived. Upon breaking out on her own, Ivory really showed what she could do.

She quickly won the Women’s Title and worked in feuds with most of the WWE’s women. Ivory was confident in the ring and on the microphone, cutting promos against anyone in the WWE. Her best-known work is most likely her 2000/2001 role as a member of Right to Censor. Ivory became one of the company’s most hated characters by interrupting matches and viciously attacking all of the other Divas.

After her RTC role, Ivory put over the up and coming talent in WWE with excellent ring work and professionalism. Towards the end of her in-ring career, she took on the role of commentator and correspondent, getting to show more of her fiery personality. All things considered, Ivory has one of the strongest cases for a WWE Hall of Fame induction.

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Victoria

Victoria made a lot of history during her time in WWE and is most famous for being one of Trish Stratus’s biggest rivals. She quickly got over with the fans in a “psycho” gimmick and Women’s Title run, which she embraced, using it to bring the division to the next level. She was one of the first women to compete in Hardcore matches, Street Fights and Steel Cage matches during this time. Before Victoria, matches like these were practically unheard of for the Divas.

Her in-ring skills continued to develop as she incorporated new moves into her move-set and she eventually got a second title run where she shaved Molly Holly’s head bald at WrestleMania XX, making for one of the Mania’s most memorable moments.

Recognized as one of the best workers in the division, Victoria put over talent and had a few wins here and there. Once she returned to a heel role, she dominated the division and worked with the new Diva Search Divas, helping them transition from models to wrestlers. I truly believe that they all benefitted from working matches with Victoria and that we wouldn’t have seen many of them excel as they did if it wasn’t for her.

Victoria was also one of the only Divas to have a proper send-off following a match with Michelle McCool in 2009, getting the rare opportunity to deliver parting words to the audience. Since then, Victoria remains friendly with the WWE, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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Molly Holly

Molly entered wrestling at a very young age in WCW, where right away she was aligned with the legendary Macho Man. However, it wasn’t until she joined the WWE that she really got to show what she could do.

Molly’s popularity grew when she was involved in a storyline with Spike Dudley, granting her the opportunity to work with the biggest names in the company. She also quickly became recognized as one of the best female wrestlers in the company.

Once she fully embraced her heel persona, Molly created a prude character, which the fans loved to hate. Her matches with Trish Stratus brought attention to the division and led Molly to win the Women’s Title.

Molly had another successful run with the title in 2003, which led her to break out even more as a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps one of Molly’s most notable moments was when she voluntarily had her head shaved after losing a match at WrestleMania XX. Now that’s dedication.

Molly left the company in 2005 due to a cancer scare and has been quietly living her life outside wrestling. Her appearance at WrestleMania Axxess last year has lead fans to speculate on her status with the company, and an appearance on the WWE’s Table for 3 program only fueled that fire.

Molly was one of the WWE’s hardest workers and one of the few they kept around after releasing most of their wrestlers in favor of models in 2004. Always willing to do what it takes to put on a show, Molly deserves the honor of being in the WWE Hall of Fame. Hopefully she doesn’t have to sacrifice her hair for that particular honor!

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Mickie James

Mickie James really took the ball and ran with it. She was thrown into a high profile Diva storyline within days of entering the company and showed she could bring the character and the ring work to back it up.

Quickly gaining popularity with the fans for her crazy antics, Mickie won the Women’s Title in arguably the match of the night at WrestleMania 22. Once Trish and Lita left the company in 2006, Mickie grabbed that brass ring and carried the women’s division for months.

Mickie was consistently one of the WWE’s best workers and most popular Divas for years, putting on epic matches with Melina, Beth Phoenix and more.

Is this her year to go into the WWE Hall of Fame? Possibly. Will she eventually get there? Definitely.

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Michelle McCool

I was not at all a Michelle fan when she first came into the WWE, but she proved me wrong. Michelle worked her ass off to become a legitimate wrestler, and she achieved that in spades, making history by becoming the first woman to hold the Divas Championship.

She broke out as the ultimate heel when she aligned with Layla, and the two dominated the women’s division. Michelle also was the first woman to hold both the Divas and Women’s Championship, unifying the two titles. It’s as if her entire career was filled with Hall of Fame-worthy moments.

Michelle left the company in 2011 after losing a “Loser Leaves Town” match to Layla, but she accomplished a lot in her 7-year career.

I worry that Michelle may also suffer from the same problem as Sable, with the WWE not wanting to acknowledge her real life marriage. Michelle is, of course, married to The Undertaker, who the WWE doesn’t exactly like to portray as lovey-dovey.

It may also be a bit too early for McCool: Trish and Lita had to wait about seven years before being inducted, and McCool has only been gone for about five. I for sure think Michelle is a Hall of Famer, but when?

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Eve Torres

Eve is one of WWE’s best Divas ever, in my opinion. What I love about Eve is, by watching her weekly, you could see her progression in real time. She began as just a Diva Search winner, but quickly grew into a memorable character and in-ring performer.

Even in her early matches, she impressed by busting out standing moonsaults and showing off her athleticism. Eve has also won the Divas Title on a record three occasions, a fact Michael Cole never lets us forget. So far, only AJ Lee has matched that feat.

Her in-ring skills improved and evolved throughout her career and she went from being a pretty babyface to an instant heel in just weeks, which is a feat in itself. Eve was also an excellent PR rep for WWE and a true role model for young girls.

Like McCool, it may be a bit early for Eve, but with her current Legends contract, an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame is surely inevitable.

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Chyna

I know, highly unlikely, but how could I not put together an article on hopeful WWE Hall of Fame inductions without including the 9th Wonder of the World?

Triple H even said it himself: Chyna deserves it. He also gave us a BS reasoning as to why the WWE can’t induct her. As we’ve seen in the recent headlines, though, WWE Hall of Famers don’t always make the best personal decisions, so why should we hold her post-WWE career against her? She’s been cleaning up her act and deserves a second chance.

I don’t need to say it, but she had quite an accomplished career in the WWE: she’s a three-time Intercontinental Champion, a former Women’s Champion and the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble, the King of the Ring tournament and the only woman to be crowned number one contender to the WWE Championship. She reached a level no woman has ever reached in the WWE and even became a legitimate celebrity in 1999 to 2001.

It’s high time the WWE stops ignoring the obvious: Chyna deserves this induction. The hypocrisy needs to end. Chyna needs to be in the Hall of Fame.

I would love to see any of these women inducted this year. Of course, there are multiple other women who deserve the induction: Lilian Garcia, Vickie Guerrero, Beth Phoenix, Melina, Jazz and Torrie Wilson, to name a few, but I feel these are this year’s strongest candidates.

I personally cannot wait to see who will be the next Diva Hall of Famer.

WWE Main Event Spoilers: January 15th, 2016

Erin
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0
WWE Main Event Spoilers: January 15th, 2016

Below are spoilers for this week’s WWE Main Event, airing internationally and on Hulu:

Spoiler
* Alicia Fox defeated Tamina Snuka. Tamina beat her down after the match.

(Source)

‘Total Divas’ First Look: Nikki Bella Tells John Cena That Dolph Ziggler is Trying to Woo Her

Erin
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‘Total Divas’ First Look: Nikki Bella Tells John Cena That Dolph Ziggler is Trying to Woo Her

On Tuesday’s season five premiere of Total Divas, we pick up right where season four left off, with Dolph Ziggler making a move on Nikki Bella.

When Nikki and Dolph’s cliffhanger encounter leaves Nikki feeling guilty, she resolves to come clean to John Cena about it. She tells all over dinner, anxiously awaiting his reaction.

Watch the clip below:

The season five premiere of Total Divas airs this Tuesday at 9pm ET/PT on E!.

Synopsis for episode 1, “Love Triangle”: “Nikki is unsure about telling John Cena about her ex-boyfriend’s advances; Paige feels the pressure to call off her engagement; Brie tries to pave a new career path for Bryan.”

Video: Brie and Nikki Bella Appear on ESPN’s ‘Off the Top Rope’

Erin
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Video: Brie and Nikki Bella Appear on ESPN’s ‘Off the Top Rope’

Brie and Nikki Bella were the latest WWE stars to join former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman on ESPN’s Off the Top Rope segment, talking about Total Divas, their relationships, the Diva Revolution and more.

Brie said it is a blessing to have a husband who understands her career and “speaks the language”. She said Daniel Bryan is like her personal coach and helps her grow in the ring. Nikki compared her relationship with Brie to a “32-year marriage”, admitting that they get sick of each other, which makes it nice to have John Cena on the road as well.

The Bellas also talked about their experience being in Paris during last year’s terror attacks. Nikki explained that they were in the city for their grandmother’s birthday and were a mile away from the cafe shooting. She credited John Cena with pulling strings to get them on a flight out of Paris the next day and said she’s never been more afraid in her life.

When asked about their favorite part of WWE stardom, both Brie and Nikki expressed how much they valued being role models. Nikki also talked about the importance of being relatable, citing her struggle to stay in shape and resist junk food cravings.

On the ongoing Diva Revolution, Nikki said both she and Brie are extremely proud to be part of the changing division, crediting every Diva, past and present, with getting them to where they are today. She also gave credit to Total Divas for raising the profile of the Divas division.

Watch the full segment below:

ESPN’s Off the Top Rope segment airs Tuesdays during SportsCenter.

SmackDown Spoilers: January 14th, 2016

Erin
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0
SmackDown Spoilers: January 14th, 2016

Below are spoilers for this week’s edition of SmackDown:

Spoiler
* Becky Lynch defeats Brie Bella via the Dis-arm-her.

(Source)

Paige Injury Update: Sidelined With “Slight Concussion”

Jake
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Paige Injury Update: Sidelined With “Slight Concussion”

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Paige has updated fans on her current injury status in a new interview with Channel Guide Magazine.

In the interview, Paige confirmed the rumors of her injury, revealing that she had suffered a concussion after taking a bad bump:

“WWE has been absolutely great with the wellness program and wanting to make sure I’m back on my feet and completely healthy before getting back in the ring again. I’m losing my mind because I’m not at work right now, so it’s been a few straight weeks of not leaving the house. I do go to the PC and get back in the ring there and see the doctors to make sure I’m a good kid and taking as much ImPACT tests as I possibly can.”

Paige also expressed her hope that she would return to the ring soon:

“I hope to get back in the ring soon. It’s just a slight concussion. No big deal. Not a crazy one but WWE is obviously very protective of their talent. I’m like, ‘I’m fine. I promise.'”

Paige has not been used on WWE television since TLC. She last wrestled at a WWE live event on December 29th.

Read the full interview on Channel Guide Magazine.

Sasha Banks Injury Update: Out Until February?

Erin
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Sasha Banks Injury Update: Out Until February?

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New details on Sasha Banks‘s recent injury have come to light, putting the Diva a few weeks away from an in-ring return.

PWInsider is reporting that Sasha has suffered a MCL injury to one of her knees, and as a result will be out of the ring until sometime next month.

No further details on the injury are known, but the timetable on her return, as well as Sasha’s own reaction to the reports, should indicate that it is not severe.

Sasha’s last match took place on the December 28th episode of Raw, where she defeated Becky Lynch.

Ric Flair Talks Charlotte’s Title Win, Controversial Reid Angle & More

Jake
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Ric Flair Talks Charlotte’s Title Win, Controversial Reid Angle & More

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Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was a special guest on last night’s Stone Cold Podcast following Raw. In addition to his illustrious career, Flair was asked about his daughter and current Divas Champion Charlotte.

Weeks ago, the WWE made mention of Flair’s late son Reid in an angle involved Charlotte and Paige. Flair admitted that the angle was hard on himself and Charlotte and that the tears she cried in the promo were real. Flair continues that Charlotte puts her all in every day because Reid wanted to be a wrestler and she is living his dream. He also said he doesn’t blame anyone for what happened and the backlash of the angle.

Flair also said that Charlotte winning the Divas Championship was the biggest point of his career. Prior to her win, the biggest moment of his career was his match against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24.

Austin also asked Flair if Charlotte being his daughter was a pro or con to which Flair replied he didn’t even contact anyone about getting her a job in WWE, it was all her. Charlotte had attended the Hall of Fame ceremony in 2012 where John Laurnitis asked Charlotte why she wasn’t wrestling. That was in April of 2012 and she was in WWE developmental by July. Flair also said he believed Charlotte had a lot of pressure on her early on but people now realize she is a better athlete than he ever was.

You can watch the full interview on the WWE Network.

Charlotte Talks WrestleMania, Retiring the Term “Diva” & More

Jake
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Charlotte Talks WrestleMania, Retiring the Term “Diva” & More

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Divas Champion Charlotte was recently a guest on her father’s podcast, WOO! Nation with Ric Flair.

Transcript courtesy of Wrestling Inc.

When the champion was asked about competing at WrestleMania, she revealed she’d love to have her match against Natalya. She also mentioned she wanted to wear a robe for her entrance:

“If I have my WrestleMania moment, I would like to have a robe made. There is so much family history there, with Bret [Hart] in her corner and my dad in mine.”

Charlotte also mentioned that she wants to retire the term “Diva”, saying she’s adamant about changing the perception of women in the WWE:

“My dream and goals are to change the face of women’s wrestling, and being champion, I hope that gives me a little more leeway and opportunity to do that. I want to main event a pay-per-view. I want to wrestle at WrestleMania. I want to bring back the Women’s Championship. I want longer matches. I want those crossover segments. I want more storylines, [and] just not to be eye candy or popcorn matches. And, hopefully, being champion at the moment, I just can somewhat kick open more doors and pave the way for more opportunities.”

In addition to changing the perception of women, Charlotte shared her wish to change the title and bring back the coveted Women’s Championship:

“I’m not taking away anything from the Divas Championship. I just think as the division is evolving, the title can evolve too. But from what I understand, I think NXT is going to go to not using ‘diva’ anymore, so it would only be natural for that to happen on the main roster as well. But just think of how many years of branding [are] behind the butterfly Divas Championship, so it just can’t happen overnight.”

Now that Charlotte has been on the main roster for a couple of months, she was also able to share her opinion on the differences between NXT and the main roster:

“What’s so different is NXT, you meet once a month and you tape four shows. The main roster, every single week and the show goes on, so every Monday, and then you have SmackDown tapings every Tuesday. I mean, you are go, go, go, go, go. NXT, maybe you find out a week ahead of time before what’s going to be taped at the next NXT tapings, so you’ll get to work that girl at the live event. Maybe you get to practice [and] maybe you won’t, but on the main roster, it’s changing up until the show starts. The times, maybe the finish, maybe the storyline, maybe even the person changes. The pressure and the money behind what’s happening on the main roster is completely different than NXT.”

You can listen to the full interview on Play.it.

SHIMMER to Introduce New Championship in iPPV Tournament

Erin
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SHIMMER to Introduce New Championship in iPPV Tournament

This April, SHIMMER will introduce a new championship: the Heart of SHIMMER Title.

For the first time since the introduction of the SHIMMER Tag Team Titles in 2008, the all-women’s promotion will debut a new title via a tournament. This tournament will be held at the SHIMMER 80 iPPV in Dallas on WrestleMania weekend:

No further details on the title or tournament are known at this time.

SHIMMER 80 airs live on iPPV April 2nd at 5pm ET. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit DGUSA.tv.

Raw Redux (January 11th, 2016): Becky Kicks Lass and Takes Names

Jack
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Raw Redux (January 11th, 2016): Becky Kicks Lass and Takes Names


After defeating Becky Lynch “flair and square” on last week’s SmackDown, did you think Charlotte would hear then end of the story so easily? For once, WWE painted quite the phenomenal picture of one of their face Divas, having Becky Lynch seek revenge in a scrappy, gutsy fashion that certainly made you respect her. How did she get her hands on her former best friend? Let’s take a look.

Stephanie McMahon is the first Diva in the spotlight this week, much like 99.467% of Raw episodes. That’s a mathematical fact by the way. Some serious research went into those sums.

She is accompanied by Vinnie Mac, and they have the entire male roster on the stage. They hype the Royal Rumble, Steph pinpointing Kevin Owens as a potential winner. Roman Reigns interrupts, only for Vince to shut him up and book him in a One vs All match in the main event. Ouch. You think Roman would learn to keep his trap shut, wouldn’t you?!

Later in the night, Stephanie is walking to her office with her Dad, and the two are approached by Paul Heyman:

Paul and Vince get into it regarding Brock Lesnar, and Steph plays mediator. Making the peace instead of making someone her bitch: who knew she was capable?

Shortly after, we return to the backstage area to see Paul and Stephanie negotiate Brock Lesnar’s Royal Rumble role. Paul wants Brock to face the winner of the prestigious match at WrestleMania, but Stephanie wants as many high-profile names in the over the top rope battle royal as possible. Stephanie stops kissing up to Paul, telling him Brock will compete in the Royal Rumble match, and that’s just the way it is. You lay down that law Steph. Judge Judy has nothing on her!

JoJo‘s pretty face is next on screen, which reminds me that I can’t wait to see her interview Superstars on WWE Kids. Didn’t she interview Big Show in the first taping?

JoJo is standing by with Charlotte… and Ric Flair. I love how she paused before introducing Ric. WWE know Ric is getting on everyone’s wick (I’m a poet, and hell yeah I know it) and are playing up to the crowd’s disdain of The Naitch. Woolotte and Ric are asked about why Charlotte threw her friendship with Becky away, and Charlotte says she bored of hearing that question. She said that this is competition, and she will do whatever it takes to continue her reign as champion. Charlotte even references Paige, saying that (despite not liking her) she learned from her that there is no room for friends if you want to keep the championship.

Charlotte plays the victim next, saying that Becky is to blame in all of this considering she can’t take it that she lost “fair and square”. In case you needed reminding, the segment closes with Ric saying “That’s my girl – wooo!” or something to that annoying effect.

It is time for our sole Divas match of the night next… which doesn’t even happen. I’d normally be annoyed by that but considering we have seen Brie Bella vs Charlotte 849 times already, I’m ok with that not taking place again. I’m even more ok with how the match not happening came about.

Following Brie’s entrance alongside Alicia (I literally had to reference Alicia here otherwise I wouldn’t mention her at all as she was so irrelevant this week), Charlotte and Ric strut down the aisle. Charlotte temporarily ignores Ric’s notion to link arms which had me dying.

As Charlotte does her signature split in the ring, out of nowhere, an enraged and determined Becky Lynch darts into the ring and right onto Charlotte. Becky attempts the Dis-Arm-Her on a wriggling Charlotte, who is in total shock to see Becky throw her happy-go-lucky to the wind and show off some passion in the form of brutality! Becky dishes out punches like they are going out of fashion, relentlessly taking it to her former pal until referee’s break up the brawl.

Despite the scuffle, Charlotte managed to keep her championship locked around her waist, which also had me howling. Despite looking like she had just had a bad experience on a rollercoaster, the bloody butterfly was still stuck to her waist! Following that Ric takes the mic and rambles on and on. I swear he must have went hard on Bourbon Street before the show started! Her calls someone in the crowd “fat boy” and says that clearly after “the Becky Lynch”, his daughter will not be competing tonight. Taking the coward’s way out, seemingly not all is flair is love and war?

Finally, Becky explains what just went down when interviewed by JoJo. JoJo says that Becky’s emotions got the best of her, but Becky takes exception to that. She puts JoJo in her shoes, asking how she would feel if her best friend took her out like that. She says that considering the circumstances, her emotions are exactly where they need to be. Amen to that!

Thoughts: Have WWE actually learned from feuds gone by? It appears they have, because instead of appearing all smiles after being backstabbed and beat up, Becky showed up all guns blazing. Becky’s character really is so relatable. She comes across a genuine girl with genuine gripes that everyone can get behind. She also proved here that although she is happy to enjoy some fun and games, she is definitely willing to fight tooth and nail to avenge herself. Her yelling that she will take Charlotte’s arm and championship was so awesome. Honestly, the last time anything like this happened for me was when Kelly Kelly went psycho on Beth Phoenix. So absolutely yonks ago!

Charlotte and Ric are also being booked perfectly. They are quick to boast but quick to back out too, always plotting how to get the best of a situation by cutting as many corners as possible. The “supreme athlete” of yesterday would have competed to preserve her pride, but Charlotte lost that, and her own personality a long time ago. I’m not sure if Charlotte ever actually had a personality to be honest now I come to think of it. Regardless, this is working for her and I am enjoying it. I detest her and that’s how I am meant to feel.

I’m also so glad that we didn’t have to see see Brie vs Charlotte again. That match has been plastered all over the main roster since Charlotte debuted, and I am sick of it. If Charlotte does eventually compete in a match to put herself over, can she not face Summer or Tamina. If WWE aren’t going to pull the Charlotte vs Natalya plug either, stick Nattie out there for crying out loud!

I think that come the Royal Rumble, a Submission match would be a nice way to increase the intensity of this feud, and create a match capable of being equally as compelling as SmackDown’s match, but in a different way. Utilising submissions would curb cheating from Charlotte and Ric, with Becky only able to lose if she taps out as the stipulation will remove the DQ element too. Submissions are the forte of both girls, and either Becky could make Charlotte tap, or Becky passes out and preserves a little dignity. It’s a win/win if you ask me.

Trish Stratus Talks Wrestling One More Match, NXT’s Divas Division & More

Erin
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Trish Stratus Talks Wrestling One More Match, NXT’s Divas Division & More

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WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus recently spoke to Journey of a Frontman about her storied career, revolution in women’s wrestling, the possibility of wrestling one more match and more.

When asked if she feels that she has one more match “left in her”, Trish was emphatic that she is, but stressed that the hypothetical match would have to be about elevating the division:

“I do. Absolutely. I mean physically, I’ve kept my training up and sure – in the past, I found out wrestling is like riding a bike. But, the question is, “Who would you want to see me wrestle?” It’s a matter of if the fans want to see me back and what they want to see. To me, it has to be a challenge. It has to be about elevating the game or elevating the person.”

Trish was also asked about Bayley and Sasha Banks‘s historic main event match at NXT TakeOver: RESPECT, calling it “amazing”:

“It’s amazing. It was a bold move for NXT to do that, an amazing move. The great thing is that they’ll sometimes give you the ball to see if you can run with it, and they did. They completely represented and they totally killed it. They proved that women can hold that spot. They showed the world that the women can hang like the men do in the ring.”

She advised today’s Divas to step outside the box and mix things up, as the division’s next big star will have to intrigue the audience:

“They have to challenge themselves and step out of the box every time they go out there. They have to stand out and give the fans somethng that intrigues them and will make them want to see more of them. I think people get used to their go-to moves and like staying in their comfort zone. But, even if its working, you still gotta mix it up. At the end of the day, it’s about going out there and making it the best damn two minutes you’ve ever made for yourself. Also spotting the opportunity to do that is important. us. I think right now is the time we are waiting for that big star from the women to break out.”

Trish also praised Triple H‘s efforts to elevate new talent in NXT and extend opportunities to the Divas:

“Well the thing about Triple H is he’s very smart and is a visionary really. As the person in charge of talent, his job is to recognize their abilities, spot their potential, then provide them with the opportunity that could elevate them that way they can make the most of them in the company. The cool thing is that he looked at the Divas division and he didn’t just see them as women, he saw these amazing athletes and characters that could do well on the show and connect with the fans. That’s what he did, he gave them the opportunity. Once the fans connect with them, they’re golden. It’s cool to see Triple H in this role, it’s no coincidence this vision is coming from a multi-time champion who knows a thing or two about what works in the ring.”

Trish also talks Tough Enough, her big WrestleMania 20 heel turn, her friendship with Lita and more. Read the full interview on Journey of a Frontman.

Sunny Pleads Guilty to DUI-Related Charges

Erin
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Sunny Pleads Guilty to DUI-Related Charges

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WWE Hall of Famer Sunny has plead guilty to several DUI-related charges in Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

According to PWInsider, Sunny – real name Tammy Sytch – reached a deal in exchange for pleading guilty to charges connected to her arrests last year on May 30th, June 1st and June 20th.

Those charges include “DUI: General Impairment/Incapable of Driving Safely” and “DUI: Highest Rate of Alcohol (BAC .16+), BAC .02 or Greater Second Offense.”

Sentencing will be held on January 29th at 9am at the Carbon County Courthouse.

These charges stem from three separate incidents: on May 30th, she was pulled over for driving erratically in a Wal-Mart parking lot; on June 1st, she was pulled over for a vehicle code violation and was found to be under the influence of alcohol; on June 20th, she was arrested after crashing her car.

For more details on Sytch’s current legal situation, read the report on PWInsider.

SmackDown Redux (January 7th, 2016): Charlotte Escapes a Championship Lasskicking

Kyle
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SmackDown Redux (January 7th, 2016): Charlotte Escapes a Championship Lasskicking


Hey guys and welcome to the first SmackDown Redux of 2016! Things are heating up this winter as on Raw, this week Charlotte betrayed her former gal-pal Becky Lynch after the Lasskicker picked up a win. The two former friends will go one-on-one for the Divas Championship on these edition of SmackDown. Who will come out on top?

Before the championship showdown, Jojo interviews Becky backstage:

Becky makes it clear that she and Charlotte are no longer friends and that this was not the first time she was betrayed by a friend. Becky concludes that this match for that Divas Championship will have nothing to due with a friendship.

Also, Jojo interviewed Divas Champion Charlotte alongside her father Ric Flair:

Jojo asked Charlotte if she was ready for the title match with Becky. Charlotte and Ric claim that Becky leeched off of her. Charlotte throws a jab of Becky never winning a title so how would she know how a champion act. Charlotte compliments her father for acting like a champion his whole life and now is her chance to do the same.

It’s Divas Title match time! We get both Divas getting entrances and Eden giving us the main event level introductions. The bell rings and here we go!

The Divas lock up and Charlotte powers Becky over to the corner and then the two go back and forth pushing each other. Charlotte then takes down Becky. Charlotte would go for an armdrag and Becky counters with three of her own and adds the pressure with an armbar. Charlotte rolls up Becky, but only gets one. Becky applies a waist lock to Charlotte and then rolls her up again for a two count. Charlotte grabs the knee and applies a hold. Charlotte and Becky both go for roll ups but each Diva gets a one count.

Becky applies a wrist lock, followed up by a dropkick and an armdrag. Becky adds the momentum with an armbar. Becky then sends Charlotte to the ring apron and then hits her patented springboard dropkick to the outside.  As she makes her way to Charlotte, Becky tells Ric off. She then sends Charlotte back into the ring, but the champion rolls out the way. When Becky goes to Charlotte, Ric cuts her off, allowing Charlotte to give Becky a big boot. She sends Becky back to the ring, going for a ground and pound attack. The Divas Champion hits an exploder suplex followed by forearms and then goes for another suplex. She gains a nearfall.

Charlotte lays some more hits to the fallen Lynch and then hits a knee to her midsection. Charlotte lays in with a head scissors, but Lynch powers up and drops Charlotte into the turnbuckle. Becky gets fired up with a pair of clotheslines, dropkicks, and an exploder suplex to only gain a nearfall. Becky tries sending Cahrlotte into the corner but gets countered with a neck breaker. Both Divas get up as Charlotte chops Becky. Becky counters a chop and attempts a backslide but Charlotte escaped. Becky ducks a big boot and hits the pumphandle suplex and gains a nearfall. Becky goes for the DisArmHer, but Ric places Charlotte’s foot on the bottom rope as Charlotte taps. Becky relents, thinking she’s won the title. The referee tells her the match is not over and they argue as Charlotte rolls up Becky and gets the victory. Charlotte is still the Divas Champion.

Thoughts: I really loved this match! I thought the counters were inventive, and the finish involving Ric was the best way to go 100 percent. I love how the crowd really was with the match and in the corner of Becky. Speaking of Becky, this is possibly the best I’ve seen her in a long time since her call-up to the main roster. That is not a knock against her but rather a compliment, because this match really showcased her skills. I loved Becky’s counter where she had Charlotte in the electric chair position to hit the snake eyes. Becky was just on fire with her strikes and reversals.

Charlotte and Ric work in a way I can’t explain. It works that Charlotte is not a blatant rip off of her dad but the few moments she goes to the Flair playbook work well, and her heel turn is coming along well. I guess with this match we have our answer to what is gonna go down at the Rumble. The match ending in shenanigans will give Becky enough proof for her to get a rematch. I am ready for Becky/Charlotte II.

With SmackDown being on USA Network, I was hoping that it would somehow allow SmackDown some footing and would help the show be credible, instead of what most people think of it as just an extra show. This Divas Title match is proof of that point coming true. The Divas Title match here was an excellent showcase. My wish for 2016 is coming along well as the story being told here is simple and now we are getting that.

Impact Wrestling Spoilers: January 26th & February 2nd, 2016

Erin
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Impact Wrestling Spoilers: January 26th & February 2nd, 2016

Below are spoilers for the January 26th & February 2nd episodes of Impact:

Spoiler
Airing January 26th:

* Jeff Hardy comes out and calls his brother to the ring. New World Heavyweight Champion Matt Hardy comes out with his wife Reby Sky and Tyrus. Matt also has new theme music. He cuts a heel promo and Jeff is confused by his actions. Matt says they’re going their separate ways but Jeff wants a title shot. Matt mumbled something and left, it wasn’t clear if the match is happening or not. Our correspondent wrote, “I don’t think anyone understood him since there was no crowd reaction.”

* Christy Hemme interviews Bobby Lashley in the arena. Lashley says he respects Kurt Angle a lot but he has to beat him in their upcoming match. A random woman (Gabi from Tough Enough) came over to Lashley and flirted with him.

* TNA Tag Team Champions The Wolves call out Crazzy Steve. Apparently he stole their belts at some point when he and another person jumped The Wolves. A woman wearing paint (Courtney Rush) comes out and does a riddle for The Wolves… Steve then comes out but doesn’t have the belts. It turns out Abyss was the one who helped Steve jump The Wolves as he comes out to the stage. The Wolves rush them and a brawl breaks out on the stage.

* The Wolves defeated Crazzy Steve and Abyss by DQ. Ten minutes in, the girl in paint comes back out with the titles. She distracts The Wolves, leading to Abyss and Steve getting disqualified. They beat The Wolves down and celebrate with the belts before leaving with them.

* Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy for the World Heavyweight Title didn’t happen. Jeff came out first, followed by Matt with Tyrus and Reby. Eric Young comes out after introductions and complains that he’s the real #1 contender. Matt attacks Jeff, then EY and Bram join in on the beatdown. Beer Money comes down to attack EY and Bram. Abyss and Crazzy Steve are out next to join the brawl. Beer Money fights Abyss and Steve to the back. Kurt Angle comes out to confront Matt but Tyrus nails him. Matt levels Angle with the title. Matt and Tyrus leave the ring and watch from the ramp as Jeff fights Bram and EY. EY piledrives Jeff from the apron through a table in a nice spot. EY and Bram leave as officials come out to help Jeff. A doctor comes out and fans do the “New Day rocks” chants. EMT’s bring a backboard out for Jeff after he’s been down for at least 15 minutes. They take Jeff out through the crowd, up a ramp and out a side door to a waiting ambulance.

* Awesome Kong defeated Velvet Sky in under 5 minutes with the Implant Buster. Madison Rayne came down to fight Kong but The Dollhouse ran down and beat her down. Kong splashed Velvet from the second rope to “holy s–t” chants. The Dollhouse celebrates and leaves with Kong.

Airing February 2nd:

* Bobby Lashley defeated Aiden O’Shea in about 5 minutes. After the match, the same woman from the January 26th episode that flirted with Lashley came back out. She said the next time she sees Lashley, she can bring pain or pleasure. She had to repeat herself because she didn’t have the mic close enough to her mouth. She leaves and then Lashley leaves.

* World Heavyweight Champion Matt Hardy comes out with wife Reby Sky and Tyrus. Matt says what happened to Jeff Hardy last week was karma paying him a visit, with the piledriver through a table. Matt says it was business, not personal. Eric Young comes out with Bram, and wants a title shot. Kurt Angle is out next. Angle reveals that his next match on the farewell tour is against Matt for the title, and it will be tonight. Angle says he will kick everyone’s ass. Beer Money is out next. They want to fight Bram and EY. This leads to a big brawl. The Wolves, Abyss and Crazzy Steve all run out and join the fight. Fans are chanting “Matt’s a p—y”.

* Tyrus vs. Drew Galloway, said to be very slow paced at times, ends when Galloway hits a powerbomb from the second turnbuckle. The lights go out and Maria Kanellis appears on the stage. She says Galloway’s miracle happens now. The lights come back on and Mike Bennett nails Galloway with his own Feast or Famine briefcase. Bennett cuts a promo on Drew and says he’s the miracle TNA needs.

* Maria comes out alone. She says women’s wrestling needs a miracle and she is the arrow, the First Lady of Wrestling. Maria says she will change the women’s division. TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim comes out. Maria offers to help Kim and take her to the next level. Kim says Maria should lace her boots up and they have words. Kim wants to fight but Maria leaves.

* Kurt Angle vs. Matt Hardy for the World Heavyweight Title is the main event. Fans chant “Matt’s a p—y” again during the introductions. Angle laughs. Lots of back and forth in the match. The lights go out and come back on, apparently just an error by someone in the back. Angle hits a bunch of belly to belly suplexes. Angle went to the top but was distracted by Reby Sky, who was at ringside with Tyrus. Hardy ended up hitting a Twist of Fate from the turnbuckles for the win. Team Hardy celebrated to end the show.

Photos below, courtesy of Diva Dirt Reader Gerard:

(Source 1, Source 2)

TNA One Night Only: Live! in Review: Rinse & Repeat

Josue
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TNA One Night Only: Live! in Review: Rinse & Repeat


Last night, TNA added a special addition to their TNA One Night Only Series. That event would go by the name of TNA One Night Only: Live! and surprisingly, the event lived up to its live name trait. Well, at least by TNA’s definition of “live” meaning there was only an air delay of about an hour or two. It’s a small price when you compare to all the other TNA One Night Only events that tend to air months and months from when they are originally taped. That and the price tag of the event being significantly lower than your average PPV.

During this inaugural Live! event, the Knockouts have been schedule to compete in a gauntlet style match to determine who will be the new number one contender to Gail Kim’s Knockouts Title. In addition to participation from The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky) as well as The Dollhouse (Awesome Kong, Jade, Marti Bell and Rebel) there were two other surprise entrants from former Tough Enough hopeful Chelsea Green as well as rising independent star Deonna Purrazo. Unfortunately, these small surprises can’t completely make up for the disappointment that came from how this played out nor the obvious match result.

Ahead of the Knockouts Gauntlet match, we catch up with Madison Rayne backstage who runs down some quick math notes about the chances of her winning the number one contender spot. Madison is all aware that the odds of a member of The Dollhouse is high but is determined to take each of them down for a shot at Gail Kim’s title. This also includes having to take out her own Beautiful People teammate should it come down to it.

On the other side of things, Jeremy Borash sets up a backstage interview with reigning Knockouts champion Gail Kim to get her thoughts on the women seeking to win a chance for her title. The very first Knockouts champion recalls how she actually won her first Knockouts championship in a gauntlet match nearly a decade ago.

Within that last decade time frame, Gail has built a history with all the participants of this match, including her feud/recent allegiance with The Beautiful People, The Dollhouse and, of course, her greatest rival Awesome Kong. It is a bit astonishing, and concerning, how unchanged TNA’s women’s division is looking after all these years.

Under gauntlet match rules, two participants will start off the match with a new woman entering every two minutes. As with Battle Royals, eliminations will occur when someone is thrown over the top until we are down to two participants. From there, a winner will be determined via pin fall or submission.

Drawing lucky number one is the Queen Bee Madison Rayne, who looks fabulous in her white attire, kicking things off with Dollhouse representative Jade. After dodging a dropkick from Jade, Madison takes Jade down with a less than perfect head scissors takedown. From there, Madison takes Jade to a corner for an early elimination but Jade fights her off to stay in the game.

The tables turn when Jade hits a roundhouse kick to Madison and the clock counts down to bring out Rebel as the third participant of the match. Immediately upon entering the ring, Rebel aids Jade by attacking Madison with a two kick combo. The two Dollhouse members make the most of the numbers game by double teaming against Madison and working on an elimination but Madison manages to hold her own until our fourth participant comes on down.

Lucky for Madison, the fourth woman isn’t another member of The Dollhouse but instead a debuting Chelsea Green, who just happens to have be given her own intro tron. Could this be a hint that Chelsea is signed with TNA?

Once in the ring, Chelsea brings some fight to Jade and Rebel, hitting each of them with a clothesline and dropkick. Just when the playing field looks to be evened up, the Dollhouse theme song hits as the next Knockout to come out is Marti Bell!

Marti makes the save to her fellow Dollhouse members and control of the match shifts back to The Dollhouse.

After taking out Madison with a double team attack, Jade and Marti turn their focus on newbie Chelsea. The former Tough Enough contestant gets whipped to a corner and is then hit with an ensemble of an attack from each member of The Dollhouse. Rebel hitting a handstand back elbow, Marti a running forearm and a big boot from Jade. It’s all playtime for The Dollhouse!

As the time escalates, our seventh participant makes her finds her way to the crowded six sided ring. This time, it’s Deonna making a surprise entrant! However, unlike Chelsea, Deonna gets no special name display on the big screen. I’m just going to take this as a sign of this being a onetime appearance.

Once Deonna enters the ring, she brings the fight to The Dollhouse, hitting Jade with a strong forearm and a double clothesline to Marti and Rebel. After regroup themselves, Chelsea and Madison team up with Deonna to even the tides against The Dollhouse.

The pact between the new names and Madison is rewarded when Chelsea whips Rebel to a corner, causing Rebel to poorly stumble to the second rope. Chelsea attacks Rebel from behind, knocking her off the ropes for first elimination of the match.

The elimination comes just in time for our non-Dollhouse members as the next name to come out is the newly named Dollhouse leader Awesome Kong!

When our aspiring Knockouts try to challenge the mighty Awesome Kong, they are met with a double choke slam and are shortly eliminated for their trouble. Well, the new names were refreshing to see while it lasted; even though it was a given that neither of them would actually go on to win it all.

Suddenly, it would appear that Madison would be stuck in a fight alone in a battle against three members of The Dollhouse but our final participant Velvet Sky comes to the rescue!

Velvet turns her focus to Marti and Jade, taking both of them down with a running bulldog. Seeing this, Awesome Kong takes a break from dealing with Madison to go after Velvet but is instead met with a double team attack by The Beautiful People. They wear Kong down with several kicks to the midsection before taking her out with a double running big boot!

Marti tries to redeem herself against Velvet by charging after her but Velvet lowers the top rope sending Marti to slip through. Oddly enough, Velvet fails to check if Marti feet actually touch the floor causing Marti to hold on for seconds until Madison delivers the final blow. Awkward…..

On the other side of the ring, Jade manages to eliminate Velvet by tossing her over the top rope and thrusting a headbutt to the midsection. Then there were only three…

Once again, Madison finds herself outnumbered against the Dollhouse as we near the end of the over the top stipulation. The remaining Beautiful People member gets her hands crushed when Kong and Jade stomp over hands simultaneously.

In an effort to eliminate the first participant of this gauntlet match, Kong mounts Jade over her shoulders to swing in some bumped up kicks but it backfires when Madison dodges and kicks Kong in the midsection. The blow causes Kong to lose her hold of Jade and drop her over the opposite side of the ring, giving Madison the window of opportunity needed to get the final over the top elimination.

Our final two Knockouts now find themselves in a one on one match up. Kong signals for an Implant Buster but Madison manages to reverse. She manages to bring Kong down to that mat after hitting several running clothesline, an enziguri and missile dropkick from the second rope. Madison goes for the pin but Kong kicks out at two.

Madison tries her luck from the second rope again but Kong catches her this time around. The Dollhouse leader sets Madison for a chokeslam but Madison rolls Kong into a pin instead! The effort only earns Madison a two count. A shocked Kong fires back at Madison with a spinning back fist and Implant Buster that puts Madison down for the three count win. So it’ll be another Gail Kim and Awesome Kong contest in the future… what a surprise to almost no one.

Thoughts: Multi-women Battle Royal/Gauntlet matches tend to have a lot of flaws to them and this match was just another example of that.

Most of this match just felt very dreary and there were just so many messy spots when it came to the over the top eliminations as well as when the women were swarming around inside the ring. While the additional entrants of Chelsea and Deonna were nice surprises, it just didn’t seem fitting to throw them in this kind of match, whether it was being used a tryout or not. They wouldn’t be able to show everything they could and it felt as though they were only brought in to help even the playing field against The Dollhouse. This just emphasizes how thin the current Knockouts division is! Please try and get some more women on the roster TNA.

Having to sit through another Gail and Kong match just speaks volumes of where TNA currently stand with their women’s division: stale. This is a match we’ve constantly seen within the last year as well as the early years of the Knockouts division, back when it felt fresh and had the more “magic” to it. It just seems like TNA are stuck in a rut. Yes, things may play out a bit different what with Kong having the Dollhouse on her side but it doesn’t change the scheme of things that all TNA have treated their Knockouts division as an afterthought with no idea of how to progress them forward.

Vote for the Star of the Week Ending January 9th, 2016

Erin
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Vote for the Star of the Week Ending January 9th, 2016

Whose star shone brightest this week? You tell us!

With our Star of the Week poll, we’ll pick the week’s top five women in wrestling and let you choose who is number one.

The poll will open each Saturday and close on Sunday afternoon.

Let’s take a look at this week’s top five:

The Beautiful People & Gail Kim

Gail Kim, Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky made a surprisingly effective team on Impact, defeating The Dollhouse in a Six-Woman Tag Team match.
 

Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch earned herself a Divas Title shot when she picked up a surprise win over Charlotte on Raw. Unfortunately, though, she wasn’t able to pick up the belt in her title match on SmackDown.

Charlotte

Charlotte rebounded from a loss to Becky Lynch on Raw with a successful Divas Title defense on SmackDown, using the ropes for leverage to pin Becky and hold on to the belt.

The Dollhouse

Jade, Marti Bell and Rebel gained a new leader in Awesome Kong on Impact. Kong then became #1 contender to the Knockouts Title on Friday’s TNA ONO: Live! PPV.

Maria Kanellis

Maria Kanellis made her TNA debut on Impact, arriving alongside her husband, Mike Bennet.
 

 

Winner: Becky Lynch (53%)

Awesome Kong Wins Number One Contendership to Knockouts Title

Erin
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Awesome Kong Wins Number One Contendership to Knockouts Title

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Awesome Kong became the new number one contender to the Knockouts Title at tonight’s TNA One Night Only: Live! Pay-Per-View.

The event, which was pre-taped earlier in the night, saw Kong emerge victorious from a Gauntlet match that included Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo, Jade, Madison Rayne, Marti Bell, Rebel and Velvet Sky. Kong last eliminated Madison, hitting her with an Implant Buster for the three-count.

Kong will receive her shot at Gail Kim‘s Knockouts Title on a future episode of Impact.

Social Media Catch-Up (January 8th, 2016): Sasha Banks, Maryse, Natalya & More

Jake
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Social Media Catch-Up (January 8th, 2016): Sasha Banks, Maryse, Natalya & More

[media-credit name=”Photo: @SashaBanksWWE/Twitter” align=”aligncenter” width=”620″][/media-credit]

Every Friday, the Social Media Catch-Up will bring you a roundup of our favorite social media postings by the women in wrestling and present them to you here. Have you found a post we should include next week? Send it in.

Here’s our latest batch:

Congratulations are in order for former NXT Diva Shaul Guerrero and NXT Superstar Aiden English! The happy couple was wed this past weekend in what looked to be a gorgeous ceremony. Proud mother of the bride Vickie Guerrero shared a pic of the newlyweds on Instagram:

I'm beyond happy that these two found eachother!

A photo posted by Vickie Benson (@vickielynnguerrero) on

With the Royal Rumble in mere weeks, that means WrestleMania season is right around the corner. Stephanie McMahon and the rest of the McMahon family attended a Dallas Cowboys game this past week in the very site of WrestleMania this year:

In one of the most star-studded events of the year for wrestlers, Maryse and The Miz hosted their annual New Year’s Eve party at their home. Among the guests this year were Eden Stiles, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Lita, Natalya, Emma, John Morrison and Zack Ryder. The hostess snapped a pic on the red carpet with a few of the past and present Divas:

#ChateauMarMiz @machetegirl @natbynature @emmalution @realedenwwe #nye2016

A photo posted by TheRealMaryseOuellet (@therealmaryseouellet) on

There was another huge wrestling wedding this past week: Mickie James married Magnus! Whether she’s rocking rhinestone jeans or a wedding gown, Mickie sure looks lovely. Congratulations to the happy couple!

We tied the knot. Thank you to everyone who came to share our night with us and for all the well wishes!

A photo posted by Nick Aldis (@nickaldis) on

Natalya returned to the ring this past weekend at a WWE Live Event, but before her return, she made a pit stop at a PWG show. Nattie posed for a pic with a longtime friend and one of the people she learned to wrestle with Jack Evans:

This is one fit mama! 34 weeks into her pregnancy, Rosa Mendes gave us an update. Looks like everything is going great!

34 weeks in, and still feeling awesome. This bun in the oven work out @hardnockssouth has given me has helped my back pain, my mind, and it's so good for Jordan's health. I read that staying active helps baby's brain develop too. There are so many great benefits, but the most important thing is to consult with a specialist. My doctor deals with pregnant athletes and I was told not to squat. My pregnancy has been perfect, but it was a risk that I wasn't willing to take. Everyone's body is different, my workout is designed for me. Make sure you have a workout that is made for you, listen to your body, keep your heart rate under 140. Baby's health and your health is priority!! #road2motherhood #fitmoms #healthychoices

A photo posted by Rosa Mendes (@wwerosamendes) on

Talk about slaying! Paul Heyman treated us to a preview of an all new photoshoot with Summer Rae. The blond bombshell looks stunning in this new shoot for Heyman Hustle:

On Raw, we saw Divas Champion Charlotte turned on her friend Becky Lynch after Lynch defeated Charlotte in a hard fought battle. Lynch went to Twitter to let out her emotions after the betrayal:

As we mentioned earlier, Natalya was back on the road with WWE this week. The Total Divas star shared a photo with another backstage guest: former WWE SuperStar Funaki!

Although she may be sidelined with an injury, Nikki Bella has been extremely active on social media. You voted her as the Diva of the Year in the 2015 Diva Dirt Fan Awards and she took to Twitter to express her gratitude:

On this week’s episode of WWE Breaking Ground, fans got an up close look at Dana Brooke‘s efforts to recover from a sidelining injury. The “Total Diva” thanked her fans on Twitter for their concern:

This week was filled with rumors of The Bullet Club being signed by WWE. Finn Balor has been teasing fans with posts all week about the rumor, and now Sasha Banks has gotten in on the fun. Banks tweeted a photo of her custom Bullet Club-inspired gear to Shinsuke Nakamura to stir the pot a little more:

Looks like WWE.com has another new Divas photoshoot on the way! Natalya gave us an early preview with this photo:

Nikki and Brie Bella were guest on Thursday’s Good Morning America with WWE Champion Roman Reigns. GMA posted a video of the Total Divas stars making their entrance in front of an excited audience:

Have you found a post we should include next week? Send it in.

The Wrap (January 8th, 2016): News from the Week in Women’s Wrestling

Erin
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The Wrap (January 8th, 2016): News from the Week in Women’s Wrestling

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Each Friday, The Wrap will wrap up the week in women’s wrestling by compiling the week’s smaller news stories, rumors and gossip – anything not normally covered by Diva Dirt. Got a tip for next week? Send it in.

Here’s this week’s roundup, in no particular order:

* NXT has announced a NXT Women’s Title match for the television tapings set for Royal Rumble weekend. This serves as a major spoiler for the weeks leading up to it. (WWE.com)

* The full card for tonight’s TNA One Night Only: Live! PPV has been taped over the past few days. TNA’s official website has a spoiler-free lineup. (ImpactWrestling.com)

* The Wrestling Observer reports that the source of Dana Brooke’s injury as seen on WWE Breaking Ground isn’t the real source of her injury, though the real cause hasn’t been revealed. (Wrestling Observer via Wrestling Inc)

* Former WWE writer Kevin Eck recently explained why Stephanie McMahon never had a mug shot taken when she was arrested on Raw back in 2014. (SportsBlog.com)

* Mickie James, Christina Von Eerie, Kimber Lee and Deonna Purrazzo are advertised for future GWF/Pro Wrestling Syndicate co-branded shows. (Wrestling Inc)

* Beth Phoenix, Lita, Paige and Trish Stratus are included in a new WWE Fan Council poll gauging fans’ interest in seeing certain talent on WWE Network reality shows. (Wrestling Inc)

* Dixie Carter talked to the AP about WWE signing TNA talent, TNA’s new start and more. (AP)

* Summer Rae was in attendance at the People’s Choice Awards on Wednesday night. (Instagram)

* The WWE filmed the pilot for its WWE Kids show at this week’s NXT tapings. (PWInsider)

* Eden takes on Zack Ryder’s “western wear challenge” in the latest Eden’s Style. (YouTube)

Got a tip for next week? Send it in.

Injury Updates on Dana Brooke, Natalya, Paige & Sasha Banks

Erin
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Injury Updates on Dana Brooke, Natalya, Paige & Sasha Banks

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A number of updates have emerged on the injury statuses of Dana Brooke, Natalya, Paige and Sasha Banks.

PWInsider has a few more details on Sasha Banks’s reported injury, noting that she was “banged up” and “pulled from the ring” following her match against Becky Lynch on the December 28th Raw.

RELATED: Sasha Banks Responds to Injury Rumor

The report also addresses rumors of a Paige injury, stating that they have no confirmation that she’s injured and that she had been seen working at the WWE Performance Center over the past week.

Natalya, who returned to the ring at this week’s NXT TV tapings, addressed her recent absence on Instagram, writing that she had suffered her first major wrestling injury of her career back in November. Between then and now, she has been undergoing intense physical therapy, and is now back in action:

Thank you @wwebeckylynch! Couldn't have asked for a more perfect opponent for my first match back in over two months. Magic! I have debated with myself every day about explaining why I was suddenly "gone" after the last match I had in November. It was the first injury I've had that has taken me away from wrestling in over 11 years. I was so disappointed. For the last 8 weeks I have been in intense physical therapy. I've been focused on returning and being stronger than ever. I fought hard to come back. I hated missing this past summer of the Diva's Revolution. I wanted so much to be a part of it because I love wrestling! Not just because I was born into it, WRESTLING is a part of my heart. When I finally came back at the end of September, I was incredibly grateful and happy! I missed the girls, the ring and all of you. Then to get hurt, I felt like a failure. NOW I am better. I am stronger. I am ready. I'm not ashamed of my injury at all. Setbacks happen. And EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Sometimes when it rains it pours but there's nothing YOU can't get through. When you fall down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and just keep going. Every person has a comeback in them. …See you soon??

A photo posted by natbynature (@natbynature) on

Lastly, though she was present at this week’s NXT TV tapings, Dana Brooke did not take any bumps, indicating that she is still working through the injury that has sidelined her since TakeOver: RESPECT and has been highlighted on recent episodes of WWE Breaking Ground. Dana addressed her injury on Instagram, writing that she’s got her “eyes on the prize”:

Impact Wrestling Spoilers: January 19th, 2016

Erin
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Impact Wrestling Spoilers: January 19th, 2016

Below are spoilers for the January 19th episode of Impact, as well as a match for a future One Night Only PPV:

Spoiler
Xplosion:
* Jade defeated Chelsea.

* Madison Rayne defeated Rebel.

Airing January 19th:
* Gail Kim retained the Knockouts Title over Awesome Kong. The Dollhouse got involved but The Beautiful People ran two of them off. Kim used Jade to knock Kong out and get the win.

* Mike Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis) defeated Pepper Parks, who had no entrance or name announced. Miracle won a squash.

* Matt Hardy (w/ Reby Sky) defeated EC III in a Title vs. Career match with help from Tyrus. Post-match, Hardy hits EC III with a conchairto and Reby spits in EC’s face.

Future One Night Only PPV:
* The Beautiful People defeated The Dollhouse in a decent match.

(Source, Diva Dirt reader Gerard)

Sasha Banks Responds to Injury Rumor

Erin
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Sasha Banks Responds to Injury Rumor

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According to a new report, Sasha Banks may be the latest WWE star to suffer an injury. However, the Diva herself is downplaying such rumors.

Earlier today, a report from the Wrestling Observer (via Wrestling Inc) stated that Sasha is currently sidelined with an injury. No other information – such as the type of injury or the amount of time it could keep her away – was provided.

Sasha has responded to the report on her Tumblr, regarding it dismissively:

http://sashabankswwe.tumblr.com/post/136846602226/and-his-name-is-jaune-cena-sasha-banks-is-now

Sasha hasn’t wrestled since the December 28th episode of Raw, when she defeated Becky Lynch. If she is out of action due to an injury, her reaction may indicate that it isn’t a major one.

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