It looks like Trey Miguel will not be joining his former Rascalz tag team partners over at NXT as he returned to Impact Wrestling on last night’s episode on AXS TV.
Miguel was the mystery partner who teamed up with Willie Mack, Tommy Dreamer, and Impact champ Rich Swann as they took on Moose, Chris Bey, Ken Shamrock, and Sami Callihan. Miguel got the win for his team, pinning Callihan for the victory.
It’s been a while since Miguel had been on television and last appeared in mid-November on Impact. His former tag team partners Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz departed the company and joined WWE as the MSK tag team, receiving new names of Wes Lee and Nash Carter.
The 26-year-old has been part of Impact Wrestling since late 2018.
Professional wrestling is all about the personalities of the performers. It’s not just the personas and outrageous outfits either. It’s the real cultural differences between these wrestlers that are so celebrated in this world.
Organizations like the WWE do not get enough credit for bringing talent from so many cultures together. Throughout the decades that the WWE has operated, we have seen performers from every continent come together and give everything they have to this sport. Here are the multicultural origins of some of the WWE’s most popular wrestlers of the past and present.
The Iron Sheik
The Iron Sheik is a classic wrestling icon from the golden era of the sport. His real name is Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, and he was born and raised in Iran.
Long before he ever came to the US, Vaziri was a wrestling standout and earned a spot on the Iranian Olympic team, competing in the 1968 Summer Olympics. He then moved to the US in 1970 where he became an assistant coach for several US Olympic squads. It’s through his connections here that he eventually was introduced to professional wrestling and the rest is history.
Sheamus
Just the name Sheamus instantly lets you know where this wrestler is from. This is because the name is continuously used throughout pop culture with examples like Irish poet Seamus Haney, Seamus Finnigan from the Harry Potter series, and even a leprechaun named Seamus that hosts the Pots of Luck casino on an online gaming platform. Feel free to get it here if you’re into this type of quirky entertainment, but the crux of the matter is that Sheamus is an identifiable name, so when it came time for Stephen Farrelly to choose a ring name that represented his upbringing, there was only one option in mind.
Farrelly was born in a suburb of Dublin in 1978. He started off his professional wrestling career around 2004 in local Irish promotions before moving on to bigger events in Britain. After a few years building his reputation, he was signed by the WWE. Sheamus has since gone on to become one of the most famous wrestlers on their roster, and the first Irish World Champion.
Rey Mysterio
Óscar Gutiérrez, better known as Rey Mysterio, is one of the best Mexican wrestlers ever and has achieved everything a wrestler could ever hope to in his celebrated career. While he was born in California, Mysterio’s Mexican roots run deep, and he is especially beloved by Hispanic wrestling fans on both sides of the border.
Before signing with the WWE in 2002, he wrestled in various organizations in Mexico and Europe. His career is legendary, as he is a three-time World Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, three-time Cruiserweight Champion, and most famously, a four-time Tag Team Champion.
Asuka
Kanako Urai was born in Osaka, Japan, and it’s here that she first developed her love for wrestling. As all fans know, Japan is huge for professional wrestling, but few wrestlers ultimately make it over to the US.
Asuka is a rare talent who grinded her way through the local and international circuits for over 15 years before making it to the WWE. She has found her home among the wave of female wrestlers that the WWE is promoting. Asuka has won the SmackDown Women’s Champion and Women’s Tag Team Champion titles. Most fans would consider her to be one of the most polarizing female wrestlers in the organization today.
Rikishi
Solofa F. Fatu Jr. quickly became a spectacle in the WWE for his absurd ring behavior and outrageous antics. Coming from a long line of Samoan wrestlers, he knew what his fate would hold from an early age. At 6’1, 425lbs, Rikishi was massive and easily dwarfed some of his opponents. In over a decade of wrestling for the WWE, he won the Intercontinental Championship, and Tag Team Championship, commonly playing up his role as a heel along the way.
Andre the Giant
André René Roussimoff, better known as Andre the Giant, is a French wrestler who reached the absolute heights of fame in the WWE thanks to his larger-than-life physique. His billed height was 7’4, with 520lbs on his frame. Simply put, Andre was massive, and he wrestled alongside the most famous talents of all time like Hulk Hogan, Terry Boulder, and Abdullah the Butcher.
While he was destined to become one of the most iconic wrestling personalities of all time, his origins were very quaint. He was born to Bulgarian and Polish immigrant parents and lived on a farm in his formative years. In the early 1960s, he moved to Paris in search of work and was spotted by a local wrestling promoter. From here, Andre would go on to make history.
This week’s episode, began to discuss the events which took place after the births of both of the Bella Twin’s sons, Buddy and Matteo.
While both women were obviously ecstatic that they had to healthy baby boys, Nikki seemed to be struggling much more with motherhood than her sister, Brie. Some may say that Nikki only struggles more because this is her first child, and her sister is becoming a mother for the second time, but I personally feel that there is something else going on.
Nikki’s fiancé, Artem, was recently rehired to be a dancer on the show, Dancing with the Stars. Initially, before the baby’s arrival, Nikki was doing everything that she could to restore Artem’s confidence after his initial firing. However, now that his position has been reinstated, Nikki seems to resent his job.
There could possibly be many reasons for this, the first one is that Artem has to travel to perform on Dancing with the Stars, leaving Nikki alone with their newborn. Second, the Very nature of Artem’s job, requires him to be close physical contact with a woman who is not his fiancée when dancing with her. Further, Artem is so happy when dancing that Nikki feels jealous, because he doesn’t seem that happy when he is with her. Nikki’s family certainly didn’t help either, Brie even teased her about how intimate Artem and his partner booked when dancing.
This only served to make Nicole more fearful that Artem would develop a romantic relationship with his new partner. This shouldn’t be surprising, since Nikki and Artem first began their relationship after she was his partner on the show.
Further adding to Nicole’s stress, is the fact that baby Matteo seems to have trouble adjusting his sleeping patterns, and is often awake all night. Since Artem isn’t at home, Nikki doesn’t have a partner to help when she needs rest; and is therefore sleepless more often than not. This kind of stress would wear on anyone, and therefore, it is no surprise that Nicole had a complete emotional breakdown when alone with her sister Brie.
Nicole’s friends and family aren’t the only ones concerned about her welfare, even her doctors have suggested medication to deal with what they believe is postpartum depression. However, so far, Nicole has refused to be medicated. Fans can only hope that she will eventually have the courage to seek whatever help she needs.
Meanwhile, both twins have further complicated their lives by deciding to move to Napa Valley, California, in order to be closer to the company making their brand new wine. It has also always been a dream of both women to live in Napa Valley. However, neither of the twin’s significant others seemed quite as thrilled with their plans. Since their marriage started Brie and her husband Bryan have moved six times. It seems that Brie isn’t satisfied any location for very long. However, Bryan has no idea why his wife so restless, nor does he have any idea how to change that. He always hopes that the next move they make the last one, but he never knows.
Here’s hoping that Brie will soon learn to be contented where she is, and that the whole family can remain settled in Napa for years to come.
Wrestling is a pretty popular sport in so many countries in the world. A lot of people are dreaming of becoming professional wrestlers, and probably so are you. A pretty challenging path is ahead of you, but still, it’s possible to make all your dreams come true. You can make it happen with your commitment, diligence, and perseverance. In this article, we have prepared a list of tips that will make you a little bit closer to a career as a pro wrestler, so check it out.
Get Professional Training
Becoming a top wrestler is nothing like becoming one of the top writers, actors, or singers. It’s much more complicated and requires plenty of effort. The first thing to do is find a school and a dedicated coach who will help you hone your skills, improve physical abilities, and teach you all the tricks and the industry secrets from the inside. Make sure your instructor possesses the experience to share valuable knowledge with you.
2. Balance Your Diet
Your nutrition also matters, so you have to rethink your diet. Choose healthy and balanced products that are rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins so you can build up your muscle mass and enhance stamina. Add vitamin powder to your smoothies to get the required amount for a day. Don’t forget to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water, especially during a training day.
3. Workout to Build Muscles
In addition to your training sessions with a wrestling coach, you have to work out regularly to build your muscle mass. You might want to become stronger and more resistant, so come up with a training routine that includes using extra weight to strengthen your upper body, arms, legs. Stay consistent with your workout sessions and make it a habit.
4. Don’t Forget About Cardio Exercising
Cardio exercises are still important. Remember that you have to work really hard to build a successful career in the future. Cardio, like jogging or riding a bike, will help you enhance your endurance to stay active and energized for a longer period. It will certainly be your advantage on the ring.
5. Learn From the Best
Practice makes perfect. We all know that. But you also have to learn from the best industry professionals. Devote your time to watching games and acquiring the best tricks to apply on the ring while training. Share your new knowledge with a coach and ask to teach you these tricks.
6. Come Up With Your Character
Every professional wrestler has their own character. Even if it’s early and you are not there yet, you should already start thinking about your name and visual appearance. It will also be important to think of your signature pose or move that will set you apart. Decide what your outfit will look like but make it look unique.
7. Attend Wrestling Shows to Network
While you keep training and improving your skills, you should also attend as many shows as possible. This is a perfect opportunity for you to network and get acquainted with industry professionals, agents. Go sell yourself there, communicate with people, and chances are you will be noticed. It is a perfect way to get started with a pro sports career as the right people can open your doors to plenty of opportunities.
8. Look for an Agent
If you are sure about your skills and abilities, you can start looking for an agent who will be your main support. This is a person who will look for wrestling matches so you can participate and build your career. A qualified agent will help you build your name. It can be difficult to find a good skilled manager but do everything possible to find the right person.
9. Never Give Up
The main thing to do is persevere and never give up. If you take your passion seriously and channel all your energy and resources into becoming a pro wrestler, you will make it happen. Just believe in yourself and keep going to your dream.
Summing It Up
As you can see, there are some things that you can focus on to become stronger and enhance your skills. Pay attention to every tip and try to implement it in your life to see some changes. Maybe in the future, you will start a professional career and become a renowned wrestler. Always believe in yourself and do everything possible to give life to all your plans and aspirations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Walter is a psychology professor, an independent researcher, writer, and contributor. He is the guru to hundreds of students, the author of hundreds of analysis studies, and the voice behind most liked articles on content creation and strategy at privatewriting.com.
During the latest episode of his podcast The ARN Show, Arn Anderson said that he had coronavirus and fell ill for two weeks while AEW had a period of no television.
Anderson said that he was in bed for a week and couldn’t eat or drink anything. “I was hallucinating. I was looking at my ceiling and I saw ice forming on the ceiling,” he recounted at the effects of the virus.
Currently serving as Cody Rhodes’ manager, Anderson said that he tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times but an antibody test revealed he had the antibodies for COVID-19 after he had recovered.
“You fly in and go get a test,” Arn said. “The one that I had this past Wednesday morning, all of a sudden I had the antibodies for having COVID, which meant that I had had it. But at no point did I test positive for it. So, what was going on in my bedroom for a week was absolutely COVID.”
He continued saying that he experienced a lot of things that he never experienced before and scared him to death. He urged fans to abide by the rules and wear a mask because the virus is real.
“So what I want to do is reiterate to everybody out there guys, is that this thing is bad…it’s really bad and it varies from person to person,” the WWE Hall of Famer said.
Despite no football and the go-home episode of the Rumble, Raw dropped in the ratings from last week, getting an average of 1,819,000 viewers, down 35,000 viewers from last week.
The show started with 1,904,000 viewers, then dropped slightly to 1,838,000 viewers, before ending the night with 1,716,000 viewers.
Raw was #1, #2, and #4 in the top 50 cable chart among the 18-49 demographic with 0.57, 0.51, and 0.47 ratings respectively. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Episode eight of season six of Total Bellas, titled Bellas on the Move, drew 352,000 viewers, down 29,000 viewers from episode seven. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
WWE announced that multi-platinum recording artist and international superstar Bad Bunny will perform his hit single “Booker T” off his new album El Último Tour Del Mundo live for the first time at Royal Rumble this Sunday.
“Performing at the Royal Rumble is a childhood dream come true,” said Bad Bunny. “I have been a lifelong fan of WWE and I am excited to take the stage and entertain fans around the world.”
“Bad Bunny is at the top of the music industry, and a pop culture icon with strong ties to WWE and our fans around the world,” said Neil Lawi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, WWE Music Group. “We are thrilled to provide a global platform for his first-ever live performance of ‘Booker T’ as we kick off the road to WrestleMania.”
Declared the #1 artist globally of 2020 by Spotify, he has won multiple Latin Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards for Best Reggaeton Performance, Artist of the Year and Top Latin Album of the Year among others.
Bad Bunny’s most recent and third album of 2020, El Último Tour Del Mundo debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, the first all-Spanish-language album to reach #1 in the 64-year history of the all-genre chart, as well as #1 on Apple Music’s global Top Albums chart for all genres.
This Saturday’s WWE Backstage revival on FS1 will reveal some information about the two Royal Rumble matches the next day, removing some element of surprise in both the men and women over-the-top rope matches.
The two women who will be entering the Royal Rumble at #1 and #2 as well as the man who will enter at #30 will all be revealed during the show, which will return for one night only after seven months.
Kicking off at 8PM ET on FS1 and anchored by Renee Paquette and joined by Booker T and Paige, Backstage will be dedicated to taking a closer look at the Royal Rumble which takes place the next night.
WWE Backstage was canceled last June after FOX Sports made several cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show aired for several weeks in a virtual setting although it’s not known if the trio will be part of a studio for this time. Backstage was filmed at the FOX Sports Studios in Los Angeles.
Roderick McMahon II, the older – and only – sibling of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, passed away at age 77 on January 20. No cause of death has been released.
An Air Force veteran and a graduate of Memphis State University, Rod was never involved in the WWE empire and even though they shared the same father, Rod and Vince grew up in different households and while the two had a friendly relationship, they were not super close.
There were rumors at the time that when Vince McMahon was on trial and there was a big chance of getting arrested, he was going to be brought in to run the company. That never materialized as Vince managed to beat the U.S. government in court.
WWE Hall of Famer Edge announced in a video on Raw last night that he is entering this year’s Royal Rumble match.
Edge has been out injured since June 2020 after he tore his triceps during his long match against Randy Orton which was promoted as the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever at Backlash.
The former WWE champion said that the stakes are even higher this time around as the more he waits, his window of opportunity decreases and the only way to main event WrestleMania is by winning the over-the-top rope Rumble match.
Edge returned as a surprise entrant last year in the Rumble match, sending thousands of WWE fans into delirium as soon as his music hit. It was his first time wrestling since he retired in 2011. He has now vowed to take back the title he had to surrender a week after WrestleMania 27.
The Fastlane pay-per-view is returning to the WWE calendar and is set to air on Sunday, March 21, just three weeks prior to WrestleMania 37. Fastlane will be the first WWE pay-per-view to air on Peacock as part of the new WWE Network agreement with NBCU’s streaming service.
Fastlane was introduced as the final stop before WrestleMania in 2015 but the event was missing from the calendar last year, with the company going to Saudi Arabia in February and ten holding Elimination Chamber in March.
The last Fastlane pay-per-view in 2019 was headlined by The Shield vs Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley in a six-man tag team match and took place from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Tonight’s Monday Night Raw will be the go-home episode for the Royal Rumble and the two men in one of the main events – Drew McIntyre and Goldberg – will both be in the house for the final push.
McIntyre has been absent from Raw for two weeks due to his coronavirus positive diagnosis but he’s good to go now after returning to the ring for the Superstar Spectacle tapings this past Friday. Goldberg also has not appeared since he threw down the challenge for the WWE title three weeks ago.
Three matches have been announced for the broadcast so far, with Asuka defending the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair vs Shayna Baszler, and a Hurt Business gauntlet match with Riddle vs Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, and MVP with the stipulation being that if Riddle wins, he gets a United States title shot against Bobby Lashley.
Love and romance have thrown up all sorts of cliches over the years. Sayings such as ‘women should be seen and not heard,’ or descriptions of ‘the fair sex’ have played into a popular narrative that women are, indeed, the ‘weaker sex,’ by implication, submissive and easily dominated. In the real world, of course, all these attitudes reveal is an astounding level of ignorance.
An apt way to illustrate just how wrong these preconceptions are is to consider the fascinating and exciting world of professional female wrestling.
Are there any differences between female and male wrestling?
There is no great disparity in fighting styles between the genders. The main difference is down to attitudes. If sexism and discrimination are still prevalent in society as a whole, you can imagine they are even more institutionalized in sports that have traditionally been seen as masculine. Looking back to the origins of wrestling in Ancient Greek and Roman times, even although wrestling formed an important part of the Olympic Games as far back as the 8th-century B.C., it was exclusively for males. The first female Olympic wrestling event? Athens. 2004.
Prejudices about female wrestlers
Why should certain segments of the male (and of the female) population look down their noses at wrestling as women’s inappropriate activity? Perhaps because it is one of the least feminines of activities? The sight of two opponents grappling, each determined to outwit the other through a series of potentially painful clinches and blows, sometimes creating bruises and drawing blood, somehow seems less acceptable when women do this. Again, this is a view that is so out of step with progressive aspects of the 21st-century. Women have proved they are equal to men in every walk of life. In the future, they may well walk on the Moon or even Mars! Right now, they can hold their own when it comes to any close-quarter contact sport.
Women fighting psychology
People of all genders have been fascinated by feuding females for years. You only have to look back at those classic MGM movies starring Joan Crawford and Bette Davis screen icons. They were full of catty insults, reflected the bitter rivalry between them in real life. This sense of non-feminine rage has evolved into modern film comedies, such as Mean Girls, where the female stars delight in trying to do each other better. Fans of US television’s The Jerry Springer Show would whoop with delight every time female contestants ended up grappling on the studio floor. You only have to watch kids playing in a playground to realize the girls are just as capable of fighting their corner as they lads. Sometimes, even more so. (And let’s not go down the route of comparisons with what female praying mantises get up to when they wrestle with their partners. Let’s say they develop a strong appetite for whatever happens to be in the vicinity after getting jiggy!)
Seriously though, there is little to differentiate between the psychology of female wrestlers from their male counterparts. Modern women relish having long reclaimed many of the previously denied qualities in a patriarchal society where male dominance has insisted that it’s only natural that deities are usually He, not She!
Five famous female Wrestlers
This list prepared by grindr review site includes five women who defy stereotypes of frail females who rely on their looks and sex appeal to get by. This is a quintet of tough, strong, and supremely talented. Any guy daring to clamber into the ring to face one of these feisty vixens would soon discover the error of his ways.
Manami Toyota
From Japan, Toyota is the perfect example of a strong female, regarded as one of the world’s greatest-ever wrestlers of any gender. Lightning-quick at moves and tagging, she has accumulated an impressive CV of accomplishments and trophies.
Trish Stratus
As well as being a fitness coach, Canadian Stratus is a popular superstar of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. As well as being a supremely-skilled wrestler, she runs her yoga studio.
Awesome Kong/Kharma
Performing for WWE under the pseudonym Kharma, Californian-born Kong turned professional in 2002. Since then, her fearsome technique has featured in the hit TV series GLOW, where she played a wrestler known as ‘The Welfare Queen.’
Lita
Heavily-tattooed Lita, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. Retiring from the ring in 2006, the now fronts punk rock band The Luchagors.
Sasha Banks
Another talented wrestler contracted to WWE, Banks, is a member of their SmackDown brand. She was named the world’s ‘top black wrestler’ in a list recognized by Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine.
In a story published on Sportico, it was revealed that Peacock had their eyes set on the WWE Network after their streaming service launched in mid-2020.
It was Peacock Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Rick Cordella who made the first move, sending the newly-appointed WWE President and CRO Nick Khan a congratulatory text message and an additional, yet important, message that started it all: “We need to talk.”
Cordella said that they can really expand WWE’s audience as the company will have its marketing machine behind the launch as it gets closer to go-time in March.
“NBC is the best fit for us,” Khan said. “They understand our product and our audience and have the SVOD platform to support it and drive eyeballs that way.”
Executives at NBC Universal and WWE were eager to get this deal ironed out before WrestleMania, an event which will surely drive up a few hundreds of thousands of subscribers who will subscribe for the show and hopefully stick around for more.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the WWE deal with Peacock is worth more than $1 billion over five years.
WWE’s move of its Network in the United States to NBC’s Peacock streaming service will guarantee a fixed income for the company no matter how many subscribers the service has, with a deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion over five years according to the Wall Street Journal.
In Q3 2020, WWE Network had 1,130,000 subscribers in the United States plus an additional 400,000 internationally. Those 1.13 million paying $9.99 a month translates to just over $11 million income per month and multiplying that for a year, assuming they all stay, amounts to nearly $135.5 million per year. $1 billion over five years equal $200 million per year, much more than the $135 million they’re currently doing right now.
The deal is a win win situation for both companies. WWE gets more money and Peacock gets a ton of new subscribers to their new service who will be paying $4.99 a month, including access to the WWE Network, or else $9.99, same as a current Network subscription, without adverts. Peacock also gets thousands of additional hours to their service, which is competing with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and soon Paramount+. The WWE product will also be exposed to the 22 million subscribers that Peacock already has subscribing to the service.
This is the same model that WWE has adopted in India, where it sold its streaming rights to the Sony LIV streaming provider. Those who live in other countries will see no change to the WWE Network, at least not for now.
Fans in the United States will have their accounts ported to NBC Peacock as time gets closer and will be saving $5 a month initially while getting access to the WWE Network and NBC Peacock’s full catalog.
All pay-per-views will air on the service at no additional charge, starting with Fastlane on March 21. There were plans to sell pay-per-views to a streaming provider and get them off the Network while WWE retained the rights to the Network, but this deal probably works out better for WWE.
In a bombshell announcement, NBC Universal and WWE today revealed a multi-year agreement which gives Peacock, the NBC streaming service, exclusive streaming rights to the WWE Network in the United States.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the agreement is said to be worth $1 billion over the course of five years.
“NBCUniversal has a long-standing relationship with WWE that began nearly 30 years ago with Monday Night Raw on USA. WWE has always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country,” said Rick Cordella, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Peacock. “WWE Network is a transformative addition to the platform and complements Peacock’s massive catalog of iconic movies and shows, as well as the best live news and sports, from NBCUniversal and beyond.”
Peacock will launch the WWE Network on March 18, beginning the roll-out of more than 17,000 hours of new, original, and library WWE Network programming on demand and a 24/7 channel, including all live PPV events, original series, in-ring shows like NXT, NXT UK and WWE 205 Live, as well as replays of Raw and SmackDown, WWE Network archives, including every WWE, WCW and ECW pay-per-view event in history, groundbreaking documentaries, and, starting in 2022, one signature documentary annually.
The companies will share details on managing customer accounts closer to the Peacock launch in March. WWE Network, including all PPVs, will be available on Peacock Premium for $4.99, a $5.00/month savings where members will enjoy access to the entire WWE and Peacock catalog, more than 47,000 hours of premium programming. For an ad-free experience, Peacock Premium Plus will be available for $9.99.
“We are thrilled to further the long-standing and trusted partnership WWE has with NBCUniversal,” said Nick Khan, WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer. “Peacock is an innovative platform that will enable us to showcase our most significant events, including WrestleMania, and provide the extraordinary entertainment our fans have come to expect with the combination of premium WWE content, live sports, news, films, and television programs.”
Private Party and Matt Hardy will be appearing once again on Impact on AXS TV tomorrow night to continue their build-up to their Tag Team title match against The Good Brothers on February 13.
Hardy, who returned to the promotion for the first time since he left in 2017, and Private Party made a surprise appearance last week and got themselves a title shot after they beat Chris Sabin and James Storm in a number one contenders match. AEW President Tony Khan and coach Jerry Lynn watched from ringside and Lynn got involved in the finish along with Hardy to give the win to the AEW tag team.
An eight-man tag team match will headline Impact tomorrow with Rich Swann teaming up with Willie Mack, Tommy Dreamer, and a mystery partner to take on Moose, Chris Bey, Sami Callihan, and Ken Shamrock.
Matt Cardona, the man formerly known as Zack Ryder, will also be in action.
In a perfect world, athletes would be judged solely based on their performance, but in reality, this is often not the case. It’s a well-known fact that any unusual sexual preference can significantly affect a young athlete’s career path, particularly in sports like wrestling. Professional wrestling’s exaggerated machismo is perceived as a direct conflict with traits usually associated with gay or lesbian orientation. In such an environment, LGBT individuals have many problems expressing their true opinions and conforming to their expectations. Taking into account their in-ring ability, impact on the sport, and success, LesbieMates experts say that LGBT wrestlers are no less worthy of respect than others.
LGBT discrimination and the impact on sports
Of course, discrimination against LGBT individuals is still widespread in society, even if it’s slowly disappearing from the workplace. The sports industry has been a bastion of obsolete views in this regard, as it’s largely based on the cult of the body and caters to an audience that mostly prefers to stick to stereotypical representations of what it means to be gay. In effect, LGBT athletes are very mindful of coming out prematurely and careful not to alienate their fans and/or sponsors. Some try to repress their inner feelings, while others adopt coping mechanisms designed to hide their same-sex preference. In either case, the individual is isolated from the rest of his environment and subjected to enormous pressure while being required to continue performing at an elite level.
How wrestlers can deal with loneliness
Professional wrestling is mostly an individual sport, and many wrestlers lack the support of teammates that means so much for LGBT people who play team sports. This state of affairs can increase their isolation to the point where it starts having a detrimental impact on their psychological health, let alone their ability to win wrestling matches. The fact that WWE wrestlers invent stage personas is not helpful and can deepen the internal split without bringing the person closer to a resolution. In such a difficult position, wrestlers need a great support network that can include family members, friends, emotional partners, as well as colleagues who know the truth. Those people can affirm the wrestler’s true beliefs, ease the burden of playing a role, and eventually contribute to the decision to come out. Wrestlers who are not surrounded by supportive people are at serious risk of developing depression or other psychological problems and need to find new outlets to release some accumulated anger and confusion.
Examples of famous LGBT wrestlers
Despite serious incentives to stay quiet about their sexual orientation, many popular male and female wrestlers publicly identified as gay or lesbian. Here are a few notable examples:
Pat Patterson
Late wrestling icon is generally considered to be the first openly gay wrestler. His career started in 1958 and lasted for several decades, much of it coming after his revelation that he prefers male company. While this fact was widely known in the business, it wasn’t mentioned in the WWE broadcasts or included in any storylines until shortly before Patterson’s death. Regardless, his courage to speak out in an era when LGBT orientation was much less acceptable than today serves as a beacon to many young wrestlers struggling with a decision to come out today.
Daria Berenato
This American wrestler is known under the moniker ‘Sonya Deville’, but she also bears the distinction of being the first openly lesbian fighter in the WWE. Her career started in 2015 and included numerous appearances in high-profile events, including as a part of the Fire and Desire tag team. Lately, she crossed over into mixed martial arts, so she continues to break barriers and prove that LGBT people have a place even in the most physical of sports.
Darren Young
As one of the biggest WWE stars of his generation, Darren Young turned many heads in 2013 when he publically said he is gay while still actively performing for the promotion. While his announcement made big news, it seemingly didn’t derail his career in any meaningful way, as he continues to make solo and team appearances. His story illustrates that the wrestling world’s conditions are slowly changing to the benefit of gay athletes.
Chris Kanyon
The question of sexuality followed this wrestler while he was still alive and remains unclear to this day. While he claimed to be heterosexual during most of his career that lasted from 1992 to 2007, late during this period, he started performing stunts that presented him as gay. He later clarified that he was, in fact, gay, but the back and forth manner in which he discussed this issue is indicative of the pressures that Chris Kanyon dealt with.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that the AEW Revolution pay-per-view is being moved from February 27 to March 7. Originally set for a Saturday, this would be the first AEW show on a Sunday night.
The move was done because on February 27 there’s a Canelo Alvarez boxing pay-per-view which the company didn’t want to go head-to-head with. AEW didn’t fare well when it went another sports pay-per-view in 2019, leading to the lowest buys for Full Gear that year.
Meltzer also noted that the March 6 date, a Saturday, was also floated but there’s UFC 259 on pay-per-view that day too so the decision was taken to book the first Sunday pay-per-view show on March 7.
AEW has yet to officially announce the new date. Revolution will see Sting get back in action for the first time since 2015.
