WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels was helping out at the NXT television tapings yesterday, his first taping since he became a coach at the WWE Performance Center.
HBK moved with his family, at least temporarily, to Orlando to teach a class at the Performance Center, believed to be the class of the final stage before the call-up to the main roster. His move to Orlando is not a short-term one but he is not signed to a full-time deal as a coach yet.
There were 14 matches taped yesterday which will be part of the upcoming weekly NXT shows on the WWE Network. The new NXT champion Shinsuke Nakamura was in town along with other favorites such as Bobby Roode, Hideo Itami, Samoa Joe, and others.
The quarter finals of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic will be taped tomorrow at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
Advancing to the final eight were a mix of International cruiserweights, with two Americans, two Japanese, one Mexican, one English, one Scottish, and one Filipino. The matches in the brackets are Akira Tozawa vs Gran Metalik, Zack Sabre Jr., vs Noam Dar, Brian Kendrick vs Kota Ibushi, and TJ Perkins vs Rich Swann. The winners of matches one and two will face each other while the winners of matches three and four will face each other during the live finale on September 14.
Doors will open at 6:30PM EST and the show is absolutely sold out.
There’s no stopping Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Forbes announced that he has surpassed Robert Downey Jr., to become the world’s highest-paid actor, getting a massive $64.5 million so far in 2016.
The former WWE champion more than doubled his 2015 earnings, getting money from upfront fees for movies including Central Intelligence and Fast 8, as well as the forthcoming Baywatch.
Coming in second place was Jackie Chan with $61 million thanks to a lot of his Chinese movies and Matt Damon came in third with $55 million. Tom Cruise, at $53 million, and Johnny Depp, at $48 million, rounded up the top five list.
On his list of upcoming movies apart from Fast 8 and Baywatch, Dwayne Johnson has Moana, Doc Savage, Rampage, San Andreas 2, Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon, Jumanji, and Shazam!
Bret Hart’s criticism over Seth Rollins’ style of wrestling continued after he injured Finn Balor at SummerSlam, causing him to drop the WWE Universal title and putting him on the sidelines for the next six months.
In a statement issued to Nick Hausman of WrestleZone, Bret said that if you’re a pro wrestler and keep hurting your opponents, you’re doing something wrong. ”Seth Rollins needs to improve his technique and become the safest wrestler in the business. I have great respect for Seth. I believe he’ll improve and hopefully stop hurting the talent before someone gets killed,” Hart said.
The WWE Hall of Famer went down hard on Rollins when he knocked John Cena out by breaking his nose in the middle of a match and then later ending Sting’s career following a power bomb to the turnbuckles.
“Wrestlers have to trust one another. If a wrestler holds the life of another wrestler in his hands for the sake of his family, wife or children you plain and simply cannot drop it,” he added, blaming WWE producers for not speaking to Rollins about it.
Hart compared Rollins to Bill Goldberg and then said that he can’t believe Samoa Joe is still using the Muscle Buster finishing move after nearly killing Tyson Kidd.
“It’s not real, it’s only supposed to look real, wrestlers are not crash test dummies,” he concluded.
Former WWE Diva Michelle McCool revealed in a post on Instagram that she has been diagnosed with skin cancer.
McCool, who is married to The Undertaker, posted a photo of her back with stitches after she underwent surgery. “Hey kids! Wear yo sunscreen & you won’t have to have holes cut out of your body due to skin cancer,” she wrote.
The 36 year old former WWE Women’s and Divas champion joined WWE in 2004 after participating in the Diva Search program. She retired from the ring in 2011 after losing her last match to her former tag team partner Layla.
She married The Undertaker in June 2010 and the two have one daughter together, Kaia Faith, who was born in 2012.
Smackdown pulled in 2,714,000 viewers this week for the post-SummerSlam show, an increase of 241,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. This is the second best number after the draft started. Smackdown was the #1 cable broadcast in terms of 18-49 demographic and #3 overall in viewership. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Former NXT Women’s champion Bayley posted a heartfelt goodbye message to NXT after her permanent call-up to the main roster came on Monday, just 48 hours after losing her NXT Women’s title rematch against Asuka.
Bayley wrote on her Instagram that she went to the WWE Performance Center to clean out her locker after four years there. “NXT is my life, it’s everything I am, everything I’ve ever wanted in wrestling. The roster, the coaches, our bosses, our fans. All of it is everything I’ve ever wanted,” she wrote.
Bayley said she will miss the fans’ passion, her NXT family, the “once in a lifetime moments” and the proud feeling of being a part of it all. “But I know it will continue. And I will never stop chasing that feeling. I am beyond excited to bring everything you all taught me, to WWE. Thank you for the memories, and as always, WE are NXT,” she concluded.
The former champ was one of the locker room leaders down in Orlando and just like those that were called up before her, she will be a big loss for NXT.
Ariel Helwani from MMAFighting.com reported today that Brock Lesnar might face a shorter suspension from the USADA for his two drug test failures leading up to UFC 200 instead of the two-year ban for a first-time offense.
Helwani explains that the substances that Lesnar – and eventually even Jon Jones – popped for are considered “specified substances” under the WADA code, and the code says that “there is a greater likelihood that these (specified) substances could be susceptible to a credible non-doping explanation.” It also says that it is possible for a prohibited substance to enter an athlete’s body inadvertently, thus allowing more leeway when handing down a suspension.
Apart from the USADA suspension, Lesnar is also facing punishment from the Nevada Athletic Commission which had jurisdiction over the UFC 200 event since it was held in Las Vegas. He was handed a temporary suspension yesterday until there is a formal hearing and the Nevada Athletic Commission suspension will be in addition and irrespective of the USADA one.
WWE Shop is running a 25% off on all orders promotion which will run through tonight at 11:59PM PST using the code SAVE25 at checkout.
The code will work for all t-shirts, including newest arrivals, DVDs, mugs, caps, and many other apparel found on the popular shopping portal. The code excludes all replica title belts, 2K17, memorabilia, Connor’s Cure and gift cards.
Speaking of WWE Shop, the newest WWE titles – the Universal title, Smackdown Women’s title, and Smackdown Tag Team title – are now also available for purchase.
Talking Smack on the WWE Network which followed the live Smackdown generated more buzz than anything from the actual Raw and Smackdown shows this week due to an explosive confrontation between Daniel Bryan and The Miz.
“There’s no gentle way for me to say it, you wrestle like a coward, like somebody who is afraid to get hit,” Bryan told The Miz who was sitting next to him along with his wife Maryse. Bryan said that if he had to create a “soft WWE guy” it would be The Miz.
The Miz cut him off and said the reason he wrestles like he wrestles is because he can do it day in, day out for 10+ years and he has never been injured, and doesn’t get injured from “six months to a year,” a comment which was a dig at Bryan who’s been out for that long period multiple times.
“I’m here each and every week and you sit there and call me a coward?” The Miz continued, as he then stood up and got in Bryan’s face. “A coward? Let me tell you about a guy who tells the fans that he loves that he will be back…he promises them…but you didn’t Daniel, didn’t you. But I’m the coward?”
Bryan responded saying that if “they” would let him come back, he would come back. The Miz, all fired up, shot back. “You love wrestling don’t ya? Why don’t you quit and go to the bingo halls with your indie friends?” The Miz said, prompting Daniel Bryan to get off his chair and walk out of the show.
Renee Young, who hosts the show, tried to intervene but was told to shut up as Miz continued his fantastic promo.
Bryan and The Miz did not address the confrontation on their social media accounts however Maryse did and obviously sided with her husband. “Heroes stand up for what they believe in. Cowards walk away,” she wrote.
The first ever – and former – WWE Universal champion Finn Balor underwent successful shoulder surgery Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center.
In charge of the operation was Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, the same doctor who fixed John Cena, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, and many others in the WWE. Balor is expected to be out of action for up to six months which is why he had to drop the Universal title just 24 hours after winning it at SummerSlam.
Balor was injured when Rollins power bombed him on the security wall, dislocating his shoulder and then self-popping it back in its socket immediately after. He wrestled the rest of the match with a labrum tear and then spent the rest of the night and the day after walking in a sling.
The former NXT champion will now start rehabbing his shoulder in Birmingham before moving back to Florida to continue working on his return to the ring.
The Women’s division on Smackdown was not left out last night on the show and just like the tag teams, the division also got its Smackdown Women’s title. The new champion will also be crowned at the Backlash WWE Network event, taking place on September 11.
As expected, the Smackdown WWE Women’s title has the exact same design as the WWE Women’s title on Raw, complete with the white leather strap. Instead of a red center plate however there’s a blue one that represents Smackdown.
The women’s division on Smackdown is not as strong as the one on Raw but a six-pack challenge will determine the new champion. Those participating are Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Naomi, Carmella, Natalya, and Nikki Bella, who returned last Sunday at SummerSlam.
Smackdown’s tag team division finally got its own Tag Team titles and a tournament was announced last night on the show to crown the new Smackdown Tag Team champions. The winners of the tournament will be revealed at the Backlash pay-per-view, the Smackdown-only event taking place on September 11 exclusively on the WWE Network.
The Tag Team titles feature the same design as the WWE Tag Team titles however there is a blue leather strap and silver plates rather than copper or bronze looking ones.
In the first two matches, held yesterday on the show, American Alpha defeated Breezango and The Usos defeated The Ascension to advance in the tournament. More tournament matches will be held next week and Heath Slater has teamed up with Rhyno to enter the tournament with the stipulation being that if they win the tournament, Slater will finally get a contract on the blue brand.
Tuesday Night Smackdown! Live TV Report for August 23rd, 2016 – “Championships Aplenty”
Introduction Segment: Locker Room Promo, Video Promo, and Welcoming
Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews, and …. are talking to each other; Dolph Ziggler is sitting on a chair with his head down. A.J. Styles walks in and proclaims himself the “new face that runs the place,” since he defeated John Cena at SummerSlam. He puts on Cena’s headband, and then makes fun of Ziggler’s loss to WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose. Dolph becomes furious and they go to blows, being separated by the other wrestlers.
The regular Smackdown Live video plays and we go live to the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mauro Ranallo acknowledges us, and in the ring are Smackdown Live’s Women’s and Tag Team Championships, respectively. (They both have blue backgrounds.) Becky Lynch, Naomi, Alexa Bliss, Natalya, Carmella, Nikki Bella, American Alpha, The Hype Bros, The Ascension, The Vaudevillians, and The Usos are all in the ring.
Segment #2: Arena Promo
Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan come out. They announce that the Women’s Champion and Tag Team Champions will be decided at Backlash in September. The Women will wrestle in a Women’s Six-Pack Challenge, and the Tag-Teams will compete in a tournament that starts tonight!
Heath Slater interrupts, walking through the crowd. He wants to be a champion, which Daniel mistakes for the Women’s Championship! Slater corrects him, saying he wants to challenge for the Tag-Titles. McMahon informs Heath that he doesn’t have a partner, and isn’t even on the roster technically. The show-runners conclude that Slater can take part, if he can find a partner by the end of tonight. As well, to be on the roster Heath and his partner must win the entire tournament!
A.J. Styles marches out and is frustrated that he is not being talked about after pinning John Cena at SummerSlam; he says he should be wrestling for the WWE World Championship. Dolph Ziggler suddenly runs and hits A.J. from behind, and the GM and Commissioner order the other male wrestlers to split them up!
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Alexa Bliss VS. Becky Lynch
(Note: Natalya and Naomi are on commentary.)
They lockup and shove each other away. Becky puts a wristlock on and takes Bliss down to the canvas, and then bridges over. Alexa elbows back and tries a hip-toss, but Becky blocks. Bliss counters into a side headlock-takedown, and soon controls Lynch in the ropes. She stomps on the back of Becky’s head a few times, and then wrenches her neck and left arm.
Lynch counters and fires up with a couple of clotheslines and a jumping calf-kick. She hits a running-forearm in the corner, but Bliss soon reverses in the corner with a sunset flip powerbomb. 1 – 2 – Becky gets her shoulder up! Lynch reverses another move into the Disarmer, forcing Alexa to give-in!
Winner via Submission: Becky Lynch
Segment #3: Backstage Promo
Heath walks into Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife Maryse. Slater asks about being partners, and Miz concurs, but soon phrases it differently and reveals he was on his blue-tooth. Heath disappointingly walks away.
Commercials.
Match #1: Tag-Team – The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) VS. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey)
(Stipulation: Tag-Team Championship Tournament, First Round)
Both teams brawl to start and then Viktor takes over on Jimmy. He launches Jimmy into Konnor, who flew off the top turnbuckle with a shoulder-tackle. He and Viktor work over Jimmy for a while. Uso lands a spin-kick and gets the hot-tag to his bro!
Jey rockets off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody! He plants Viktor with a Samoan Drop and measures him in the corner, but Konnor stops the running-attack. Jimmy comes in and kicks Konnor, and then runs under Viktor and through the ropes onto Konnor! Jimmy splashes onto Viktor from the top turnbuckle and covers to receive the victory!
Winners and ADVANCING: The Usos
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Segment #4: Arena Promo
A.J. Styles makes his entrance. He shows pictures on the Titantron of him beating John Cena at SummerSlam. “I did exactly what I said I was going to do – ‘beat up John Cena!’” he repeats “I am the face that runs this place” three times, and demands to be the new challenger for the WWE World Championship. Dolph Ziggler stomps back out, but is held off by referees and agents. GM Daniel Bryan does not want to see them brawl this way, but instead makes them wrestle tonight; he also says that if A.J. wins, then he is the #1 Contender, but if Dolph is victorious, then the WWE World Championship will be a Triple-Threat!
Up next, Nikki Bella makes her Smackdown! Live debut; and coming soon, Curt Hawkins.
Commercials.
Match #3: Single – Carmella VS. Nikki Bella
Rene Young goes to talk to Nikki about her return after her neck injury, but Carmella viciously attacks her numerous times.
Winner: None due to No Official Start
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Segment #5: Arena Promo
Randy Orton walks to the ring, pointing at his head where he was cut open badly. He says he knew what he was “in for” at SummerSlam.
The lights go out and Bray Wyatt moseys to the aisle, where he sits in his rocking chair.
“How’s your head Randy? He, he, he!” “There’s nothing like laying there with your head busted wide-open to help you remember you are ‘just a man.’ A man who hurts, a man who suffers, a man who dies. But me Randy, I am not just a man; I am a ‘god.’ And a ‘god,’ Randy, can never die. But don’t you worry; you’re going to find out all about it; in time.”
Randy signals for Bray to enter, and Wyatt stands up and removes his jacket, but his video plays and he is gone.
Segment #6: Backstage Promo
Shane McMahon is interviewed about Brock Lesnar’s situation from SummerSlam. He detests the rumored punishment by Stephanie of “$500,” and then affirms it isn’t over between him and Lesanr.
Commercials.
Segment #7: Locker Room
Heath is talking to someone off camera, and compares himself and this person to greats of the past. That person is “Double-A” Arn Anderson! Unfortunately, Arn isn’t up for it, especially when Slater tells him he was his “last” pick.
Heath then has a hand placed on him, telling him “I’m sure Tag-Team Championships will pay for an above-ground pool.” Slater turns around to find Rhyno wanting to team-up; Heath overjoyed and accepts.
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Match #4: Tag-Team – Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) VS. American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable)
(Stipulation: Tag-Team Championship Tournament, First Round)
An elbow/collar tie-up starts between Gable and Fandango. They break it when Fandango leans on the ropes, and then he snapmares Chad, but is tripped-up and taken-down with amateur moves. Tyler is in and is rolled-up, and then Jason is tagged, and gives Breeze a dropkick. Alpha double-team Breezango, and then Jordon drops Tyler atomically. He locks in an armbar, and then Gable works over the same arm.
Commercials.
Jason gets the hot-tag and cleans house on Breezango; they dropkick and German-Suplex double-team, but Fandango stops the potential three! Jordon picks Tyler up on his shoulders, but Chad is knocked to the floor as he went to the top turnbuckle. Breeze flips Jason with a hurricanrana-pin; 1 – 2 – Jordan just raises his shoulder!
A couple of more close-calls happen between Jason and Tyler, and then Tyler goes for his Supermodel-Kick, but he is caught into an Alpha-plex! Gable and Jordan finish this with their double-team manoeuvre!
Winners and ADVANCING: American Alpha
Segment #8: Backstage Promo
WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose is asked about the #1 Contender’s bout for his title; he says he “didn’t even know about it,” as he was gambling in the Casino. He is fine with that and then gives the waitress who brings him drinks some gambling chips.
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Match #5: Single – Dolph Ziggler VS. A.J. Styles
(Stipulation: If Styles wins, he is the #1 Contender; if Dolph wins he is added to Styles VS. Ambrose at Backlash)
(Note: WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose is on commentary.)
They both try to get the better with amateur takedowns, and then A.J. punches to start governing. Ziggler turns it around with a waistlock slam, and puts Styles to the outside. He repeatedly pushes A.J. against the ropes and then dropkicks him to the floor.
Commercials.
“The Phenomenal One” is dominating after sling-shooting Dolph into the turnbuckle. Ziggler tries to punch back but A.J. whips him hard into the turnbuckle. He runs and gives Dolph a backbreaker, and but is almost taken-down with an amateur pin. Styles gets the upperhand again, but argues with referee Mike Chioda over his style. (Seriously, no pun intended!) A.J. brings Dolph harshly to the floor!
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Styles is still ruling, now wearing Ziggler down with an armlock. Dolph uses his foot and bottom rope to break the hold, and then slugs away with punches. A.J. reverses a whip with a kick-to-the-gut, but is hit with a dropkick and both are down! “The Show-Off” builds momentum with clotheslines and an elbow drop (thanks, Mauro!), and then goes for his Zig-Zag but misses. He runs again with the Fameouser, but doesn’t get the pin!
Dolph runs again for the Zig-Zag but A.J. fights him off and drives him with a fireman’s-carry kneedrop! 1 – 2 – Ziggler gets his shoulder up! Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Dolph ducks and plants A.J. with the leaping-DDT! 1 – 2 – Styles just lifts his shoulder! Loud “this is awesome” chants commence as the two struggle to their feet!
Ziggler tries a superkick, but A.J. catches him into a Styles Clash position. Dolph battles out and A.J. bounces off the ropes into a Zig-Zag! 1 – 2 – 2 ½ – no! Dolph’s foot gets caught in the middle rope and Styles capitalizes with his Styles Clash for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall and #1 Contender to the WWE World Championship: A.J. Styles
Post-match, A.J. gets in Ambrose’s face. The two stare-down at ringside with Chioda keeping them apart to close the show.
End of Smackdown! Live.
Reporter’s Rumblings
This was a perfect Smackdown! Loved the setup right away for the next Pay-Per-View/Network show, and that they are involving numerous wrestlers for the titles. I can write that I found no negatives with the promos or wrestling matches. I’ll admit, I’m being a little bit lazy in not going into detail, but I really liked the show overall and can’t find a bad thing with the main presentation. Let’s hope this continues next week!
Until next week’s Raw, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Fans!
The post-SummerSlam Monday Night Raw did only 3,315,000 viewers and while it’s better than the past two weeks when faced against the Olympics, it’s only 1,000 viewers more than the August 1 episode. The show had 400,000 more viewers than last week.
Hour one did 3,462,000 viewers, followed by 3,370,000 viewers in the second hour, and then down to 3,113,000 in the third and final hour. The show lost 349,000 viewers from hour one to hour three. The post-SummerSlam Raw last year had 3.7 million viewers. Raw was #1, #2, and #3 in the ratings chart based on the 18-49 demographic however Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, and The O’Reilly Factor all pulled in more viewers than Raw. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
One of the subjects of the hit Netflix television series Making A Murder might be going to WrestleMania after an unlikely company has decided to pay the bills to send Brendan Dassey and his family to Orlando for WrestleMania 33.
In the Making A Murderer series, Dassey is revealed to be a big WWE fan and was heard in jail telephone recordings asking his mother to record WrestleMania 22 for him so he can see it after he gets out from being interrogated, not knowing that he was being setup to frame his uncle, and himself, in the murder of Teresa Halbach.
Adult website xHamster is now coming to the rescue, saying they will be sending Dassey – whose judgment was overturned a few weeks ago – to WrestleMania after he is freed in the next 90 days.
“We are pleased that we can make this young’s man dream of going to Wrestlemania come true,” said Alex Hawkins, a spokesman for xHamster. “We have been in talks with the family and they are more than thrilled that Brendan will get this opportunity after so many years of heartache and injustice. We are waiting on a response from Brendan and we know he will be thrilled that he is going to WrestleMania when he gets out.”
Former DX member X-Pac also expressed his wish to buy tickets for WrestleMania to Dassey and his family and wanted to go see him in prison until he eventually was told not to go.
48 hours after losing her title re-match against Asuka, one of NXT’s most favorite stars, Bayley, made her Raw debut and will now be part of the Raw main roster.
Bayley has been signed to a WWE deal since December 2012 and spent nearly four years down in developmental. During her time in NXT, Bayley climbed up the Women’s division ladder and won the NXT Women’s title a year ago at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, after a match of the year candidate against one of her best friends, Sasha Banks. Bayley held on to the title for eight months, losing it to Asuka at NXT Takeover: Dallas earlier this year.
At Battleground she made her main roster debut and was revealed as Sasha Banks’ mystery partner against Charlotte and Dana Brooke. Her arrival went over big time as the WWE Universe went crazy as soon as her theme song hit the speakers and the same thing happened last night.
Bayley immediately went after the WWE Women’s title on Raw but Charlotte did not want to face her, instead volunteering Dana Brooke instead.
Earlier today, the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed a temporary suspension to Brock Lesnar for his two drug test failures leading up to UFC 200.
The former champ popped for a banned substance on June 28, which is considered an out-of-competition test, and on July 9, an in-competition test administered on the day of UFC 200.
The actual hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission will happen at a later date, where Lesnar may, or may not, appear with his lawyer. He is expected to be handed a two-year ban for his first failure as per the UFC/USADA anti-doping policy unless something short of a miracle occurs.
Brock won his UFC 200 fight against Mark Hunt and received a cool $2.5 million for his three-round fight.
One year after returning to WWE on the Raw after SummerSlam, the Dudley Boyz said goodbye to the WWE Universe in the same arena that they made their return.
Both Bubba Ray and D-Von wrote on Twitter before Raw that they would be leaving WWE so the Raw announcement was not a total surprise. The duo were thought to have signed a new deal weeks ago but there were never any signatures on the dotted line and all parties involved decided to part ways.
“Our work here is done. THANK YOU to @WWE @WWEUniverse and “the boys”. Was our pleasure to see all of you again. See ya down the road,” Bubba wrote after the angle ran on TV. Their goodbye did not end happy though as Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson beat them up, sending D-Von through a table, with the always professional Dudley Boyz doing the honors so to speak for the Club.
As the cameras stopped rolling, the fans gave D-Von and Bubba Ray a standing ovation and a “Thank You Dudleys” chant. The two walked up the ramp and then turned around for one final salute to the Brooklyn crowd.
The two spent 10 years away from the WWE before making their return last year. Bubba Ray made a one-time appearance at the Royal Rumble in 2015 but had to wait eight more months for another full-time run.
Dave Meltzer is reporting that an altercation between Chris Jericho and Brock Lesnar went down backstage following the conclusion of SummerSlam, with the two getting physical after Jericho deemed that Lesnar was too reckless in the handling of the closing of the match.
Jericho rushed to the Gorilla position to see what exactly was planned and when no answer was given to him and Lesnar walked in, all hell broke loose. Lesnar did not appreciate Jericho getting involved in his business and a war of words ensued, with the two putting their hands on each other and ending up against a wall.
Triple H and others, including Vince McMahon, broke the fight up and McMahon, according to Meltzer, informed Jericho that the ending went according to plan. Orton, who came in afterward, told Jericho that he knew what was coming.
While Jericho is usually a total professional, watching one of his friends get manhandled like that with not much safety to his health was a bit too much for him. Meltzer also adds that it was Brock Lesnar who first misunderstood what Jericho was saying backstage as he walked in and he was the one who started the fight.
