Here's more wrestling news for January 26th 2022
And your headlines for Afternoon include
Latest update on Vince McMahon selling WWE. Potential buyers are now in contact
Latest news on WWE 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony. Who will be inducted this year?
“An embarrassment to the wrestling business!” CM Punk blasts wrestling tradition invented by legendary manager
SmackDown Superstar and former Tag Champion could be back this Friday after latest injury
Former Superstar accuses Triple H of refusing to work with him!
Latest huge plans for NXT 2.0 leaked. Plans have been in motion since July
NXT 2.0 Superstar expected to miss most of 2022 with injury
Randy Orton gives exact time for when he wants to retire from WWE And more!
We’re kicking off with WWE, who for the past two years have cut literally hundreds of names from the company, including both on-screen
and those who’ve never appeared on TV. Many believe that these never-ending budget cuts is because Vince McMahon is looking to
sell WWE, and while Nick Khan has previously said that this won’t happen, it doesn’t mean there aren’t offers floating around.
Speaking to Sports Business Journal, the WWE President reiterated that WWE is not trying to sell, nor are they looking for anyone to sell too,
but have received inbound calls from companies who are looking to buy. The report didn’t indicate which companies have
shown an interest, but with WWE estimated value in 2020 being around $5.71 billion, whoever wants to buy must have some pretty deep pockets.
Since joining WWE in August 2020, Khan has overseen some major changes, such as the releases, moving the Network to peacock and
credited for inventing Day 1, but the WWE President still answers to Vince McMahon, and will do so for a long time to come.
Earlier this week, we reported that WWE has a whole set of activities planned for WrestleMania week, including an NXT Stand and Deliver event,
as well as a Hall of Fame ceremony. This ceremony will be the first one in a long time with live fans in attendance, and we
now know when these future Hall of Famers will be inducted. PW Insider has revealed that this year’s
Hall of Fame ceremony will air on March 31st, both on Peacock and the WWE Network, but insisted that nothing has been locked down yet.
The current plan is for the ceremony to air after Friday Night SmackDown is off the air, which would mean the broadcast wouldn’t start until
10pm Eastern, or 9pm in Dallas. There’s also no word on whether this will be a taped broadcast, or happen live, but with 2022
marking 3 years since the last ceremony with fans, and rumours of the Undertaker being inducted this year, we imagine WWE won’t
struggle to sell tickets, no matter when the Hall of Fame ceremony happens.
If you've been a wrestling fan long enough, you've probably heard of Wrestler's court, a mock trial that Wrestler's had to attend over minor infractions.
Once seen as a tradition of the industry, Wrestler's court isn't as common these days, as tales of Wrestler's being hazed and harassed have come out.
One name glad to see the end of Wrestler's court is CM Punk, as when a fan said Punk should face the court over 'stealing' Hangman
Page's gimmick, replied by saying:
"Wrestler court was the most insecure small d*ck energy average white man embarrassment to the wrestling business s**t of all time."
A creation of Dirty Dutch Mantell, Wrestler's court is for the most part, a thing of the past, so don't expect Punk to face any sort of punishment for
allegedly stealing the gimmick of the reigning AEW World Champion.
On the January 7th SmackDown, King Xavier Woods suffered an injury in tag-team action, when an attempted DDT from outside into the ring went
awry. During a G4 live stream, Woods disclosed that he’d injured the plantaris muscle in his calf,
and was expected to be out for four to six weeks. It now appears that Woods has been healing faster than expected, as in an update from
PW Insider, the SmackDown Superstar is expected to be back on the road in time for this Friday’s show in Kansas City.
Appearing this Friday does not guarantee if Woods has been cleared to return however, or if he will have any role at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.
Interestingly, both of Woods’ New Day brethren will be in action this Friday, as RAW’s Big E will team with Kofi Kingston to face Happy Corbin
and Madcap Moss, and Woods could indeed be by the New Day’s side this Friday.
Now, in 2004, WWE debuted the Eugene character, a mentally-challenged Superstar who’s favourite all-time wrestler was Triple H.
After failing to help the Game regain the World Heavyweight Championship, Triple H turned on Eugene, culminating in a match at that year’s
Summerslam, but one that the future WWE COO wanted nothing to do with. Speaking on Renee Dupree’s podcast this week,
Nick Dinsmore, the man who portrayed Eugene explained how the King of Kings didn’t see him as a worthy opponent for such an important event:
“He (Triple H) didn’t feel like Eugene was the right guy he probably should have wrestled at SummerSlam. But Vince was like, ‘No, this is the
blow-off, we need a pinnacle here.’ Triple H ended up having fun with it because all of a sudden he’s got a guy who can work a different character.”
With a list of Summerslam opponents including the likes of The Rock, Steve Austin, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels, Eugene was definitely a much
different opponent for Triple H, but after dispatching of the young Superstar, the Game would return to the main event, becoming World Champion
at next month’s Unforgiven.
Back to the present, as years ago, NXT would run live events, allowing the gold brand to further establish itself as it’s own thing, but they haven’t
happened for a long time, thanks to the global situation.
Now NXT is NXT 2.0, and the revamped product may soon be getting back on the road.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that WWE is considering starting house shows again for NXT 2.0, believing it’ll give
the talent much needed in-ring experience, as well as experience the kind of touring they’ll need to do on the main roster.
The plan for NXT 2.0 to have house shows has been discussed since July last year, when live audiences returned to WWE, but Meltzer noted
that these talks have increased as of late, with WWE trying to put plans together to make this a reality.
Until WWE announces an actual tour, any reports of house shows for NXT 2.0 should be taken with a grain of salt, but the company is hoping to make
this happen at some point in 2022.
If NXT 2.0 begins touring soon, they’ll have to do so without Odyssey Jones, who has undergone surgery for a ruptured patella tendon.
This injury happened during the January 11th 205 Live where he faced Sauruv Gurjar, but this match never made it to TV, as Jones had to be helped
to the back after blowing his kneecap. On last night’s NXT 2.0, Jones was written off TV when he was on the training room floor with
Harland standing over him, implying that the next Big Thing had given Jones a beatdown. On commentary, Vic Joseph said that Jones is
expected to be out of action until the fall, and we’re wishing the best for the NXT 2.0 Superstar at this difficult time.
And we’re ending today with Randy Orton, who is unquestionably one of WWE’s most successful stars, with multiple titles and two Royal Rumble
wins to his name. In 2004, Orton became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history at that year’s
Summerslam, but now, the Viper is looking towards the end of his career. Speaking to the Ringer Wrestling Podcast, Orton
was asked how much longer he will keep wrestling, and had a very specific answer as to when it’ll be time to retire:
I’m 41. By the time I’m 50, I think I’m done… I want to go out and have that last match when I’m 50 and be able to say I did it on my own terms.
But I don’t see an end to my career any time soon When asked about possibly having a part-time wrestling role, like we’ve seen from the Undertaker
or Triple H, Orton said he isn’t interested, and that his current schedule helps keep him in shape. With 14 world titles and a grand slam win to his
name, Orton’s career is one to be envied by almost every other wrestler, and while he won’t be leaving the ring anytime soon
that day is coming in nine years time.