The season nine finale of Total Divas, episode 10 titled The Next Wave, did a total of 229,000 viewers, down 18,000 viewers from episode nine. On average, the whole season did around 257,000 viewers per episode which is the worst one of the series so far. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Angel Garza becomes the new NXT Cruiserweight champion
NXT Superstar Angel Garza won the NXT Cruiserweight title on the latest episode of NXT on USA Network, defeating Lio Rush in the opening match of the night.
Rush held on to the title for almost two months but tapped out to a reverse full nelson in a fantastic match that saw Garza getting his first title with the promotion.
And the night got even better for the new champion as after the match and while NXT was in commercial, Garza cut a promo and proposed to his girlfriend. Garza said that there are four important things in his life: wrestling, support of the WWE Universe, his family, and his girlfriend. He then grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and moved her inside the ring, got down on his knees, and asked his girlfriend to marry him. The crowd chanted “Si! Si! Si!” as she accepted.
Garza ended by thanking the NXT Universe and chanting “We are NXT.”
You can see the video below.
AEW back to Chicago for Revolution pay-per-view in February 2020
All Elite Wrestling will be coming back on pay-per-view on Saturday, February 29, 2020 with Revolution, the company’s fourth PPV event so far.
The show will take place from Center Stage at C2E2 Convention at the Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago. Revolution will be part of the three-day C2E2 expo which runs from February 28 to March 1 and is the largest pop culture convention in the Midwest.
“REVOLUTION will be a huge pay-per-view event for AEW, featuring the biggest wrestling card we’ve ever presented, at the heart of a three-day destination event in partnership with C2E2,” said Tony Khan, President and CEO of AEW. “The experience in the South Loop of Chicago will be unlike anything we’ve seen in wrestling, and it will be all day, all night and all weekend.”
Tickets for Revolution will go on sale on Friday, December 20 at Noon ET at AEWTix.com starting from $20 and all the way up to $150 for ringside.
This is the second AEW pay-per-view in Illinois, with All Out held at Hoffman Estates this past August. Interesting to note is that Revolution is also a name that NXT used for a Takeover show in 2014, although slightly modified to read R Evolution.
Miz & Mrs returning for season two on USA Network on January 29, 2020
USA Network today announced that the second season of Miz & Mrs. will return on the air on Wednesday, January 29 at 10PM ET immediately following NXT.
The series gives an exclusive glimpse into the A-List lifestyle of married WWE Superstars The Miz and Maryse. This hilarious “It” family is moving from their quiet life in Austin back to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. With two mothers-in-law, a grandfather with WWE aspirations, two dogs, two cats, a 1-year old daughter, and a new baby on the way, every day is a new adventure.
The series is produced by WWE and Bunim/Murray Productions. Gil Goldschein, Farnaz Farjam-Chazan and Russell Jay serve as executive producers for Bunim/Murray Productions. Kevin Dunn and Chris Kaiser serve as executive producers for WWE. The Miz (Michael Mizanin) and Maryse (Maryse Mizanin) are also executive producers.
WWE Backstage rating for 12/10/2019
WWE Backstage did 127,000 viewers this week, down 11,000 viewers from lsat week’s rating. WWE promoted CM Punk’s second appearance on the show but that did not translate to viewers tuning in. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Robert Roode and Primo Colon suspended by WWE over Wellness Program violation
WWE announced that it has suspended both Robert Roode and Primo Colon due to a violation of their Wellness Program. This is their first strike so both get a 30-day suspension.
The details behind their suspension haven’t been made public and it could be a number of things, not just because they popped for something illegal. Missing or refusing to undergo an unscheduled test is also considered a violation of the policy.
While Roode has been part of WWE television frequently, the same cannot be said for Primo Colon, who has not showed up on WWE TV for nearly two years. He along with his cousin are mostly working for WWC in Puerto Rico while still under contract to WWE.
Both are eligible to return in mid-January 2020.
The last time WWE suspended someone due to the Wellness Program was in 2016 and it was Paige with her second strike, getting a 60-day suspension.
Total Divas season finale episode preview for tonight: The Next Wave
E! will air the season nine finale of Total Divas tonight at 10PM ET, with episode 10 titled The Next Wave.
The synopsis reads, “On the Total Divas season finale, tensions continue to run high when Sonya bails on everything Natalya had planned for their girls’ trip, including fun surf lessons that end up going terribly wrong, sending Natalya, Liv Morgan and Sonya’s girlfriend to the emergency room. Nia is terrified as she heads into surgery, not knowing the outcome of her future at the WWE. Meanwhile, the Bellas have another surprise up their sleeves, Carmella reveals big news about her relationship with Corey Graves and Trinity finally shows up to join in on the fun. After getting her broken hand repaired, Ronda is surprised when Natalya throws her a party to celebrate her epic run in the WWE, leaving one question in everyone’s mind: What’s next for the Women’s Division?”
Raw main event barely finishes on TV as show gets cut off the air
Raw cut it super close towards the end of the show and the three count that saw Rey Mysterio pin AJ Styles barely made it on TV as WWE ran out of time.
The end credits graphic went up for 17 seconds before the match even ended as AJ went for the second Styles Clash which was reversed into an inside cradle. Five seconds later as the Raw ring announcer was announcing the result, the Raw feed cut off straight into a KFC commercial.
WWE Raw does not enjoy the ability of having overruns anymore and by 11PM ET the show has to be off the air. It’s unclear why the show ran longer than anticipated.
https://twitter.com/BulletClubIta/status/1204250730590351365
Batista already picked who he wants to induct him in the WWE Hall of Fame
Batista has already made his request on who he wants to induct him during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony next year.
In a tweet, Xavier Woods mentioned the names of Ric Flair, Triple H, Randy Orton, and D-Von Dudley as all who could induct the former champion come April of next year, but responding, Batista said he made his choice already.
“I owe a lot to all those names mentioned and many more but for personal reasons I’ve personally requested that @ringfox1 (Fit Finlay) induct me into the #WWEHOF,” Batista wrote. “I’m sure that anyone who knows Fit Finlay will not question my request.”
While soon-to-be Hall of Famers can request who inducts them, the ultimate decision falls solely in the hands of Vince McMahon and there have been times when McMahon picks a different individual to do the honors than the one originally requested.
In a separate tweet, Batista said that from his first WWE appearance in 2002 to his last appearance in 2019, it has been an amazing journey that led him to the Hall of Fame. “Proud, privileged and honored to be inducted into the #WWEHOF class of 2020.”
Kris Statlander and Big Swole join All Elite Wrestling’s women’s division
All Elite Wrestling officially welcomed Kris Statlander and Big Swole to their women’s division with the two signing AEW deals.
Statlander, who hails from New York, only started wrestling two years ago. She has wrestled for EVOLVE, AAW, Shimmer, and other independent promotions. She also has three matches under AEW, appearing on AEW Dark last month.
Swole also has a few AEW matches under her belt and made her debut last month on AEW Dark. She has three matches for AEW, losing all of them so far. Swole was also part of the Casino Battle Royale at All Out. She wrestled for Shimmer, Shine, and many other promotions. Swole, as Ariel Monroe, was part of the Mae Young Classic tournament in 2018, losing in the first round.
TLC and tables matches added to the TLC 2019 pay-per-view
The Raw side of the TLC pay-per-view card finally has some matches with just days to go for the show.
On Raw last night, WWE announced three more matches, including a TLC match and a tables match.
The Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line in a tables, ladders, and chairs match as Asuka and Kairi Sane will defend against Raw Women’s champion Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. The feud between the two has intensified over the last couple of weeks. The Kabuki Warriors took on Flair and Lynch in 2-on-1 handicap matches on last week’s broadcast and yesterday. Flair lost her match but last night Lynch won via DQ.
A tables match has also been set up between Rusev and Bobby Lashley. During the divorce angle on Raw last night, it was Rusev who had the upper hand and put Lashley through a table.
And the third match announced is Buddy Murphy taking on Aleister Black. The former NXT champion has not wrestled on a pay-per-view in a very long time.
Batista joins the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2020
Following the announcement of the nWo in the Hall of Fame, WWE also announced that Batista will be inducted with the 2020 class.
The 50-year-old spent his entire wrestling career with WWE, first starting with Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2000 and then moving to the main roster in 2002. After joining Evolution in 2003, the rest, as they say, is history.
Batista went on to become one of the most successful and popular WWE Superstars, with epic feuds against The Undertaker, Triple H, Randy Orton, and many others.
After leaving the company in 2010 due to creative differences, Batista returned for a year in 2013, winning the Royal Rumble and main evented WrestleMania XXX with Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. His last feud at the time was with Evolution against The Shield and once again left the company in 2014 due to more creative differences.
After an absence of four years, Batista returned to WWE in 2018 and planted the seeds for a match against Triple H. Batista turned heel in March after he attacked Ric Flair and demanded a WrestleMania match against Triple H, a match which took place at WrestleMania 35 and a match which Batista lost.
Since leaving WWE, Batista went on to have a successful acting career which includes featured roles in James Bond’s Spectre and many other movies, but perhaps none more important than being part of the Marvel universe as Drax the Destroyer.
During his WWE career, he won the World Heavyweight title four times, the Tag Team titles four times, and the WWE title twice.
nWo is back…and taking over the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame
The nWo – the faction consisting of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Sean Waltman – will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2020. The announcement was made today via ESPN.
While there were several members in the iconic faction, Hogan, Hall, and Nash are probably the most ones closely associated with it since they were the originals, while Waltman came in later.
The nWo started officially in 1996 when Hulk Hogan turned heel at Bash at the Beach and joined The Outsiders. The group eventually went on to have tons of members, including a stint in WWE, with the faction splitting in nWo Hollywood, nWo Wolfpack, nWo Elite, nWo 2000, and nWo Japan.
With this induction, all four members become two-time Hall of Fame members.
Jon Moxley gets Texas Death Match at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 14
Jon Moxley is returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling and will be part of the company’s biggest event of the year, Wrestle Kingdom 14, in January.
Moxley, the former IWGP United States champion, had to vacate the title earlier this year after he was unable to travel to Japan to defend it due to travel issues. The AEW star appeared during World Tag League finals event yesterday and took out both Lance Archer and Minoru Suzuki. Archer, who is now the IWGP US champion, engaged in a brawl with Moxley during the show.
The match will be a Texas Death Match and it looks like it will be another wild ride for the former WWE champion in another very hardcore match.
AEW World champion Chris Jericho will also be on the Wrestle Kingdom 14 card taking on Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Four WWE Superstars granted their release
Luke Harper, Sin Cara, and Konnor, and Viktor of The Ascension were all granted their release from WWE, the first ones to get it since WWE’s competitor All Elite Wrestling has started doing business.
Luke Harper got his release eight months after asking for it. He made the very public request in April of this year following WrestleMania week but WWE shot it down. He continued to be kept away from television until Erick Rowan needed a tag team partner and was brought back in September. Harper started in 2012 with WWE under a developmental deal and then joined The Wyatt Family in November of that same year. Harper won the NXT Tag Team titles once, the Intercontinental title once, and the Smackdown Tag Team title twice.
Sin Cara is portrayed by Jorge Arias, who took over the gimmick from the original Sin Cara and previously wrestled as Hunico. He joined WWE in 2009 and was called to the main roster in 2011. After a feud with the original Sin Cara, he moved to NXT and formed the popular Lucha Dragons tag team. He publicly asked for his release in November and got his wish granted a month later. His only title reign came in NXT with Kalisto winning the NXT Tag Team titles.
Viktor had been working with WWE since 2011 and Konnor even longer, since 2005. Both joined under developmental deals and Viktor was part of Florida Championship Wrestling while Konnor started in Deep South Wrestling. Viktor is a former FCW champion and FCW Tag Team champion while Konnor won the DSW championship twice. The two were teamed together after the launch of NXT and made their main roster debuts in September 2014. During their time in NXT, The Ascension won the NXT Tag Team titles once but found no success while on Raw or Smackdown.
ACH “quits” pro wrestling, calls wrestling fans “self entitled pricks”
ACH, the former NXT star known as Jordan Myles who quit the promotion in a blaze, tweeted yesterday that he’s quitting pro wrestling altogether and launched an attack on fans, calling them “self-entitled pricks.”
Released by WWE last month after weeks of claiming that his employer was racist, ACH returned to the indie scene immediately but it looks like his return has been cut short.
“I hate pro wrestling. I hate you shity [sic] fans that think you know it all! More importantly I hate the snakes in this industry,” ACH wrote in a tweet. “None of y’all would never say anything about me to me. All of y’all can go screw yourselves. I’m canceling my shows AND I’m quitting pro wrestling.”
He concluded with, “Chasing my dream was great, but you self entitled pricks ruin EVERYTHING. I’m out.”
ACH quit WWE after a t-shirt proposed to him depicted blackface. He was very public about the situation, accusing both Vince McMahon and Triple H of being racists and lambasting the company. He eventually got what he wanted, a release from his WWE contract.
Oney Lorcan signs new WWE deal
NXT’s Oney Lorcan posted on Twitter that he has signed a new multi-year deal with WWE, just weeks after changing his name back to his indie name Biff Busick and reportedly asked for his release.
Lorcan even opened a ProWrestlingTees.com store after news came in that he asked for his release and then addressed it on Twitter saying that he’s professional there are things you shouldn’t do on social media. He never publicly asked for his release like many others before him did.
In his usual Twitter fashion, Lorcan posted in all caps writing, “I am pleased to announce that I have agreed to a new multi year contract agreement with World Wrestling Entertainment. May the wrestling gods have mercy on your souls.”
The 33-year-old has mainly wrestled on 205 Live, NXT, and NXT UK and is known for his hilarious Twitter feed. Lorcan signed a WWE deal in 2015 but despite his strong presence on the independent scene, he was never given the opportunity to shine in WWE.
Alberto El Patron taps out to Tito Ortiz in his return to MMA
Alberto El Patron’s return to the mixed martial arts game didn’t go according to plans and the former WWE champion quickly tapped out to former UFC champion Tito Ortiz during last night’s Combate Americas pay-per-view.
In his first MMA fight in 14 years, El Patron was no match to the more experienced Tito Ortiz and it showed as Ortiz locked El Patron in a rear naked choke with 3 minutes 10 seconds on the clock and El Patron tapped out. Tito held on to the move for a few more seconds as the ref tried to get him to unlock it.
With the win, Ortiz now has El Patron’s WWE title. Tito’s UFC Light Heavyweight title was also on the line.
Ortiz came out to Hulk Hogan’s Real American theme song and as a great supporter of Donald Trump, the President of the United States also tweeted his congratulations after the fight. “Congratulations to @TitoOrtiz on tonight’s huge WIN, a Great American Patriot,” Trump wrote.
https://twitter.com/OnMMA/status/1203541766630035457
WWE United Kingdom title stolen in Chicago
PWInsider.com is reporting that the WWE United Kingdom title was stolen in a car theft in Chicago, Illinois earlier today.
WALTER’s possessions, including also his passport, were gone as well as the items belonging to indie wrestler Timothy Thatcher, who rented the car. The two were in town for the EVOLVE event.
This is not the first time that a title was stolen and just recently Chris Jericho’s very expensive AEW World title was also stolen but recovered a few days later after being found dumped on the road and turned in by a good samaritan.