I am here today by order of Luke Warm Luke Owen, and he has decreed that today’s news
must be...stacked...what do you want Luke?
Yes I said the news was stacked.
Yes I did it with enthusiasm.
How do you know I didn’t?
Fine, fine.
Let me do it.
Today’s news is STACKED.
I am Corporate Chopper…
I am Q-Tip.
Now let’s do the news.
Since returning at SummerSlam, it’s fair to say that Roman Reigns has been the best
thing in WWE.
Though admittedly that bar isn’t very high on the Raw side of things.
His new heel character and aligning himself with Paul Heyman has solidified every segment
he’s in as must watch TV, and he feels and carries himself like an absolute megastar,
and I for one am thoroughly excited to watch him destroy not only the body, but the soul
and the spirit of Jey Uso at Clash of Champions - Gold Rush.
But looking beyond this Sunday’s Clash of Champions - Golden Nuggets, it appears that
WrestleMania plans for Roman may be getting a little more solidified.
As this current feud with Jey Uso has been built all around family, including a brilliant
video package from SmackDown outlining Paul Heyman’s work with the Anoa’i family and
their interconnected history, speculation online has been rampant that at some point,
Roman Reigns has to face The Rock as the culmination of the family feud.
And when asked about it, John “The Dwayne” Rockson agrees.
In a video posted to The Rock’s YouTube channel, he spoke about who he would want
to face if he returned at WrestleMania, and he very openly stated that Roman would be
the one to make the most sense.
“‘Well if you were to go back to WrestleMania, who would be the opponent that you would face?'
It feels like the one that would make sense, right, would be Roman.
In terms of box office draw [it would be huge]” This would be The Rock’s first match since
WrestleMania 32, when he beat Erick Rowan in seconds.
He also joked that WWE would want him to get his win back, like the back to back WrestleMania
main events between John Cena and Rocky at WrestleMania 28 & 29.
“I'm not going down that road because I know how that conversation goes.
'Listen, here's what we're thinking.
Roman beats you now at this WrestleMania, but listen.
Before you guys say anything, then on the next one, that's when...'
But you what, I would be honored to not only share the ring with Roman and to go back to
the WWE, but of course I would be honored to have him raise his hand on that one”.
Wow.
Spoilers.
Would you want to see Rock vs Roman at WrestleMania 37?
Let me know in the comments because I’ll be replying to people FROM OUTTA JEY USO’S
DESTROYED SOUL AFTER CLASH OF CHAMPIONS THIS SUNDAY.
And speaking of Clash of Champions - Gold Digger, Roman himself has confirmed to be
wrestling in new gear this Sunday via a virtual meet and greet, telling a fan “If you watch
on Sunday, you’ll probably see me with my shirt off.
That will be the change.”, while also mentioning he’ll be getting new music soon too once
his character gets a bit more evil.
“It’s not like I came out and am an ultra bad guy.
You’ve seen it in little steps and little layers.
I want all the nuances to add up...Hopefully, down the line, once more drastic things happen
and the story unfolds.”
Drastic things like...murdering your cousin this Sunday?
Please?
But while the praise has been pouring in for Roman Reigns since his return, people haven’t
been quite so happy about RETRIBUTION after this week’s episode of Raw.
And it turns out it’s not just the fans that were openly laughing about it, as WWE
backstage were too!
After this week’s Raw when the five main RETRIBUTION members unmasked themselves to
reveal smaller masks underneath, fans collectively went *snort*, which was only turned into a
full laugh when it was confirmed, by the commentary team no less, that their new names were T-Bar,
Mace, and Slapjack.
Slapjack.
I can’t get over it.
According to the ever-reliable WrestleVotes, people backstage in WWE were discussing RETRIBUTION’s
new presentation, noting that it was “met w/ LAUGHTER at times backstage.
Direct quote: “The masks & names are already making the road for these guys impossible
to climb”” That’s not exactly the start you want.
But that’s not all, as Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select, which is a great service,
please do consider supporting them on Patreon, the reactions of several wrestlers backstage
in WWE.
A female wrestler said “I feel bad for Mia (Yim) and Mercedes (Martinez).
It’s a good spot, but they’ve worked so long and are facing a battle to not make this
look as dumb as it is.”
While a SmackDown talent said “I think they load up Raw with that stuff because it’s
a longer show, but we weren’t told why RETRIBUTION was off Smackdown.”
Another wrestler simply said “It sounds like something out of a bad movie or game,
but I’m not sure Vince plays games or watches movies anymore.”
It was also noted that “absolutely everyone” that Fightful spoke to agreed the new names
were ridiculous.
SLAPJACK.
It doesn’t get any better when I keep saying it.
And it’s not just backstage wrestlers who were poking fun at RETRIBUTION, as CM Punk
also chimed in, grabbing a screenshot of Slapjack’s mask and commenting “When you’re bored
in catering and there’s an abundance of paper plates”
But it’s ok - because there’s one person who thought they were “badass”.
NXT’s Shotzi Blackheart.
Bless her soul.
“Everyone was wearing super cool masks.
All of that appeals to me because I like the darker side of things and I’m for it.
They’re wrecking stuff and just being destructive, I’m all for it.
I’m like, where do I sign up?!”
Shotzi Blackheart, wait no sorry, Dark Fist or Douchecanoe or Blackshot to RETRIBUTION
confirmed.
Blackshot would at least make sense for her old name.
But nothing says badass quite like posting on Twitter, so naturally the three named members
now have their own accounts, with each posting at least a tweet each.
How chaotic of them.
And unsurprisingly, Raw viewership was down for this week’s dreadful episode, drawing
an average of 1.66 million viewers, down from last week’s 1.69 million.
But now it’s time for another recurring segment, who is Vince McMahon high on backstage?
It’s Bianca Belair.
AND Peyton Royce.
Didn’t see that one coming did you?
According to a chat between Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Radio,
both Biana Belair and Peyton Royce are on the list of people that are to be pushed in
the near future.
Meltzer would say: “They want to push [Bianca].
She’s on the list to be pushed – her and Peyton.”
Bianca was supposedly put on this list “about six weeks ago”, so the video package of
her lifting heavy things on Raw would presumably be the start of this push.
As for Peyton Royce, she was protected on Raw as she wasn’t pinned or submitted in
her match with Asuka as Zelina Vega caused the DQ, so there may be some truth to this
list.
But speaking of people that use lists, Chris Jericho is in AEW.
And a WWE Hall of Famer may be joining him soon.
What a segue.
Back in April, which was approximately 9 years ago, WWE released a reported 40% of wrestlers
and office workers, as part of a company wide cutback.
A number of backstage producers were also furloughed, including Gerald Brisco, who until
very recently, had been with WWE since 1984.
Despite his near 40-year tenure, Vince McMahon made the decision that Brisco was surplus
to requirements, and released him earlier this month.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems AEW may have made a move to bring Gerald in, as he has
been teasing a big announcement for tonight in a tweet which certainly hints that it’s
AEW related.
"Oh gosh!
We had some technical difficulties!
I truly Khan't wait to tell you my big news!
Stay tuned WEDNESDAY NIGHT for my BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
What do you think it's gonna be?
[face with hand over mouth emoji] [man shrugging emoji] #BriscosBigAnnouncement."
Or this could be Brisco just having a bit of fun much like he did last week with his
trolling ‘big announcement’ which turned out to be nothing.
It’s probably that.
Bulgarian Best Man Miro, who made his shock debut in AEW two weeks ago as Kip Sabian’s
Best Man, will be making his in-ring debut on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
While we don’t know who he’ll be facing, AEW President Tony Khan tweeted the news of
Miro’s AEW match, and we may well find out at some point today who he’ll be facing.
It will be Miro’s first televised match since February 17, when he teamed with Humberto
Carillo on an episode of Raw.
He was part of the mass firings on April 15, and is one of two wrestlers, alongside Matt
Cardona, to have moved from WWE to AEW since April.
Unlike his brother Matt, Jeff Hardy seems pretty happy in WWE, and as the current Intercontinental
Champion, and one of the company’s top babyfaces, it’s easy to see why.
He even signed a new three-year deal with the company recently, but that’s not to
say he isn’t planning for a time when he can no longer fall off things and make us
wince.
Hardy spoke to the Daily Star about his plans for when he does eventually retire, and he
admitted he would love to work with WWE creative.
“Hopefully, at the point where I can’t wrestle anymore, there might be a creative
place for me because I do love pro-wrestling and I’m interested in everything that’s
going on.
I still don’t feel like I’m a trainer, a coach or a leader.
I just feel like somebody who would never really be seen but has these unique ideas
that might be cool for a show or a storyline.”
And finally, have you ever wanted to taste the essence of the undertaker?
Or to feel the flavour of the Ultimate Warrior on your tongue?
Well now you can!
Because WWE has just released two different bottles of wine, and will be selling them
on wwewines.com You’ve got The Undertaker’s Cabernet Sauvignon,
which is wine, and The Warrior’s Zinfandel, which I am reliably informed, is also wine.
And for those of you complaining I don’t know enough about wine, I suggest you stop
wine-ing about it.
Press the video on the right to be taken to our predictions for Clash of Champions, where
I’m representing Mr. Davis and the Olithority while Luke Warm fights for the Jampionship.
He won’t win.
And press the video below that to find out more about another Covid outbreak within WWE!
Subscribe here for daily wrestling news, I’ve been...Q-Tip, Jam That Jam.