Wrestling

Ahead of her match against SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair at Survivor Series on Sunday, Raw women's champion Becky Lynch discussed recent reports of a backstage altercation between her and Flair on SmackDown.

Appearing on the MMA Hour with MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani, Lynch gave her take on what happened between her and Charlotte during and after a championship belt exchange segment:

"There was a plan in place that was supposed to go one way, and if it went one way then everyone would have had a moment and it would have been great. I, in the back, said this isn't gonna happen, and she's gonna do something else. And she did exactly what I had said she was gonna do. Sometimes things can happen out there and people can get carried away in a moment and you don't have time to process what happens, but when I knew that she was gonna purposely disrespect me, I processed it a lot quicker.

"So I was able to hold it together until I got backstage. I did what I was supposed to do, and then when I got backstage, I lost it a little bit … verbally. I had to go out and do the dark match. I verbally lost it. I still had a match to go and do. So, I didn't have time to be scrapping in the back."

The segment in question was supposed to see Lynch hand Flair the SmackDown Women's Championship and Flair hand Lynch the Raw Women's Championship since they had switched brands via the WWE Draft.

In the midst of the exchange, Charlotte dropped the Raw Women's title on the mat, and Becky then threw the SmackDown Women's title at her. Things seemed to get back on track to some degree when Sasha Banks appeared and confronted Charlotte.

Following last month's contentious segment, PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Sai Mohan) reported that The Man and The Queen got "heated" with each other backstage, although it didn't get physical, which Lynch later confirmed.

It was also reported by Alex McCarthy of TalkSport that while Lynch and Flair were once close friends, their relationship became "strained" in 2018 when Becky called Charlotte "plastic" in a promo.

Later in her interview with Helwani, Lynch expressed her belief that Charlotte is difficult to work with and confirmed that she would rather not have to wrestle her at Survivor Series.

While there does seem to be some legitimate heat between Becky and Charlotte, it is also possible that they are purposely accentuating it in order to garner more interest in their upcoming match.

They have taken some personal shots at each other in promos over the past week and have even carried their feud over to social media.

Regardless of how much of their rivalry is real and how much is contrived, Lynch and Flair have succeeded at getting the fans' attention ahead of their champion vs. champion showdown on Sunday.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Kenny Omega is reportedly set to undergo multiple surgeries after dropping the AEW World Championship to "Hangman" Adam Page on Saturday.

On Thursday's edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer ran down some of the ailments Omega has been dealing with recently (beginning at the 30-second mark):

Meltzer said Omega has been working through knee, shoulder and abdominal injuries, as well as a hernia. Omega also recently said he has dealt with a case of vertigo since 2018.

Meltzer noted that Omega will "most likely" undergo multiple surgeries, although it isn't clear precisely what surgeries he will get or when he will get them.

Meltzer also reported that while February has been mentioned as a possible return date for Omega, nothing is "set in stone."

Omega set the stage for an extended period of leave on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite. In a backstage segment with fellow Elite members The Young Bucks and Adam Cole, Omega said he needed to go away and asked The Bucks to hold down the fort.

AEW teased some tension between Omega and Cole during the segment, as Cole thought Omega was addressing him only for Omega to say he was referring to The Young Bucks instead.

The 38-year-old Omega won the AEW World Championship by beating Jon Moxley in December 2020 and held it for 346 days before dropping it to Page, giving him the record for the longest AEW World title reign.

Omega also held the Impact Wrestling World Championship and is the reigning AAA Mega champion, all of which contributed to Pro Wrestling Illustrated naming him the top wrestler of the year for 2021.

While Omega is widely regarded as one of the best in-ring workers in the world and is one of AEW's top stars, the company has enough to get by without him for the time being thanks to the emergence of Page and the recent arrival of Cole, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

During an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night, Universal champion Roman Reigns denied hearing any rumors regarding Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson possibly appearing at WWE Survivor Series on Sunday.

Fallon brought up the fact that Survivor Series 2021 will mark the 25-year anniversary of The Rock making his WWE debut at Survivor Series 1996 as Rocky Maivia (beginning at the 4:10 mark):

When asked about rumors of a Rock appearance, Reigns said: "I have not heard these rumors and I would think I'm closer than anybody at this point. So, I don't know. It's not what I've heard, but I also debuted at Survivor Series as well, so there's a nice little tie-in there."

Reigns was also asked by Fallon if he would have any interest in wrestling The Rock, to which he responded: "I would, yes. But I don't know if he wants it."

It was originally reported by Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton) in July that WWE had plans for The Rock to appear at Survivor Series, which is taking place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

In that scenario, The Rock and Reigns would have built up to a huge match in the main event of WrestleMania 38 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in April 2022.

Zarian (h/t Middleton) followed up in October and noted that a Rock appearance at Survivor Series would not be happening because of Johnson's filming commitments for the Young Rock sitcom in Australia.

A possible Reigns vs. The Rock dream match has long been discussed among wrestling fans, but if The Rock does not show up at Survivor Series, then it may not happen at WrestleMania 38.

WrestleMania 39 in 2023 may be a more realistic spot for the bout, especially since that event will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

There is perhaps heightened desire among fans to see them lock horns since Reigns is now the top heel in WWE and unquestionably doing the best work of his career.

The match seems inevitable if The Rock has any desire to wrestle again, but whether or not he shows up Sunday could say a lot about when or where that dream match will occur.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: profanity).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Hardy Talks Recent Contract Extension with WWE

Future WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Hardy discussed his WWE contract this week and the circumstances that surrounded him signing an extension with the company.

In an interview with BT Sport (h/t Fightful's Jeremy Lambert), Hardy divulged that part of his agreement with WWE involved the return of his "No More Words" theme song:

"That was the deal when I re-signed. I was like, 'I'll sign for two years as long as I get my old theme back called 'No More Words.'' We came to find that they owned the song so there was no reason I couldn't. My first night in front of a live audience, I got it back and it's just like it never left. It was so powerful. I think [WWE] realized, 'Yeah, that was a good decision.'"

Hardy continued using the Hardy Boyz theme song during the COVID-19 pandemic when no fans were in attendance, but that changed on the July 19 episode of Raw when fans returned.

The Charismatic Enigma made his entrance to the tune of "No More Words" and went on to beat Karrion Kross, who was making his main roster debut.

It is unclear precisely when Hardy signed a two-year contract with WWE, but if it occurred earlier this year, he is line to remain with the company into 2023 at the least.

There has been speculation from fans about Hardy potentially joining his brother, Matt Hardy, in All Elite Wrestling so they can enjoy one final run as the Hardy Boyz.

There is no immediate end in sight to Jeff's time in WWE, however, and based on the way the SmackDown roster is constructed, he figures to have an important role as one of the top babyfaces on the blue brand for the foreseeable future.

Steveson Confirms Upcoming Retirement from Amateur Wrestling

Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Gable Steveson confirmed Tuesday that his amateur wrestling career is winding down.

Ahead of the University of Minnesota's home meet on Saturday, Steveson tweeted the following:

After winning Olympic gold in Tokyo and signing with WWE, Steveson decided to take part in one more collegiate season for the Golden Gophers, and Saturday will mark the final time he competes in a home opener at Minnesota.

Steveson told  ESPN's Mike Coppinger in September that he agreed to a deal with WWE that would see him wrestle for Minnesota during the 2021-22 season while simultaneously training to become a WWE Superstar.

WWE also announced at the time that Steveson was the first college athlete to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) contract with the company since the NCAA began allowing such deals.

All signs point toward Steveson transitioning straight to the main roster and being an instant top star for WWE, much like Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle did in the late 1990s.

Before that, Steveson is looking to end his amateur career with a bang by winning his second consecutive national championship in the heavyweight division in addition to his Olympic gold medal.

Steveson likely has a long and successful WWE career in front of him, and winning another national title would give him even more credibility and momentum entering his next chapter in WWE.

Fenix Reportedly Has Backstage Heat in AEW

Rey Fenix, one half of the AEW World Tag Team champions the Lucha Bros, reportedly has some backstage heat in AEW after what happened during his match at Full Gear.

Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo defeated FTR to retain the AEW World Tag Team titles, and it was reported by Fightful Select (h/t Michael Perry of Ringside News) that Dax Harwood got injured and was unable to finish the match after taking a move from Fenix.

In a follow-up, Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News) reported that some AEW talent took issue with Fenix's stiff wrestling style and not checking up on Harwood after injuring him.

Fightful noted that while Fenix isn't believed to have "major heat," some AEW wrestlers believe it would have been common courtesy to make sure Harwood was OK.

Fenix and Penta have been one of the most exciting and entertaining tag teams in professional wrestling for quite some time, and they find themselves atop AEW's tag team division.

The Lucha Bros finally broke through and won the AEW World Tag Team titles at All Out in September when they defeated The Young Bucks in a memorable steel cage match.

Continuing to lead the tag division won't be easy considering how deep AEW is in terms of tag teams, but given how popular the Lucha Bros are with the AEW fanbase, there is no end in sight to their reign.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

There are some events in WWE history that one can look back upon as a paradigm shift for the company and, in some instances, the industry as a whole. The 1996 Survivor Series was one such event.

Held on November 17 at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City, the show featured two industry-altering events in the span of three hours, making it one of the company's most historically significant pay-per-views of all time.

At the time, there was no way of knowing just how instrumental the two events would be in WWE overcoming the ratings beatdown it was enduring from WCW on a weekly basis, but hindsight tells us had that year's fall classic not gone down exactly as it did, there is a real chance we would not be discussing the company today.

A Blue-Chip Debut

Young Rocky Maivia exploded through the curtain that night, his body adorned with horrifically conceived teal gear, but what he wore was irrelevant. It was the first appearance of the highly touted third-generation star, whose charisma was obvious and look undeniable. He looked like a star and carried himself like one, even if the in-ring portion of the package still had to catch up.

Most importantly for him and the future of the company, he was treated like one.

Maivia overcame a two-on-one disadvantage late in the traditional Survivor Series elimination tag match, defeating Crush and Goldust to win the bout for his team. It was a major triumph and an early announcement to the wrestling world that he was going to be a major deal for them moving forward.

And he would.

Once he shook the smiling babyface persona right out of the early 1980s and developed his promos, he would become one of the biggest stars in the industry. As the The Rock, his meteoric rise from the leader of The Nation to WWE champion in 1998 gave way to sustained main event status in WWE and crossover appeal.

Within two years, he had Hollywood beating down his door to work on film projects, but it was his work in front of WWE cameras, the connection he built with the audience and his work as a sports entertainer that helped him become a transcendent Superstar.

He was larger than life, a leader in the Attitude Era and one of the key reasons Vince McMahon's company was able to overcome such a one-sided, 83-week ass-kicking. 

None of that happens without that magical debut, in which the company showed incredible faith in this young, yet largely inexperienced performer to shine in a big spot. He wasn't the only defining star of the upcoming Attitude Era to break out that night in MSG, though.

Glass (Ceiling) Shatters

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin had momentum on his side entering the Survivor Series. He was in the middle of a feud with Bret Hart, had just participated in the hugely controversial Brian Pillman gun incident and was gaining fan support for the foul-mouthed, finger-flipping revolution he was leading in the usually family-friendly promotion.

He still needed that one match to really define him, though. And he got it in front of a live pay-per-view audience, in the most famous arena in the world and against the best wrestler in the universe.

Austin and Hart delivered a five-star classic that proved everything ol' Stone Cold had claimed: He was a double-tough S.O.B., but he was also a hell of a professional wrestler. So much so that he was in the driver's seat in the closing seconds of the match, using the Million Dollar Dream given to him by Ted DiBiase upon his arrival in the company a year earlier. Hart countered it into a roll-up, just narrowly outlasting Stone Cold. 

The Texas Rattlesnake lost that night, but it didn't matter. The fans witnessed him nearly beating The Hitman in the biggest match of his career. He was every bit the future Hall of Famer's equal and it showed.

One year after an inauspicious start to his WWE career, which saw him saddled with a terrible Ringmaster name and total lack of personality, Austin was on the road to becoming the biggest star in company history and the face of the Attitude Era, alongside that kid from earlier in the night.

More than the night the two most defining stars of the Attitude Era broke out, though, Survivor Series serves as a reminder to those wielding power in WWE today.

Patience is Key

What would have become of the company if, weeks after Maivia's debut when fans started booing the one-dimensional bore-fest, McMahon had taken him off of television or stuck him under some ridiculous gladiator's helmet?

What might WWE look like today, if there even was a company, had management tossed Austin aside when The Ringmaster failed to catch on with audiences?

The answers are not at all positive.

Because WWE gave Maivia and Austin a chance to find themselves rather than cutting them off at the knees or transitioning them from one failed gimmick into another underwhelming one, they had the opportunity to develop into the megastars they eventually became. 

It is patience not necessarily allotted to the men and women in today's WWE. Within a couple weeks, they are pulled off the show, given nicknames like "Bearcat" and expected to run with it, despite everyone recognizing it's not going to get over. So then, instead of consistent, star-making runs, talent is shoved into a vicious cycle of start-and-stop pushes and repackaging that never catches on.

On this, 25 years to the day after The Rock's monumental debut and Austin's glass ceiling-shattering performance against Hart, it would behoove McMahon and Co. to look at why that night was so important and how the pieces came together, and implement that approach today.

The talent is certainly there for stars of that magnitude and the drive, too. Patience is key, though. Until that develops so that the talent can, WWE will find itself looking back on the Attitude Era fondly through retrospective documentaries rather than filming new ones about the exciting future that awaits.

  Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and All Elite Wrestling. 

Becky Lynch Fires Back at Charlotte

The feud between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair continues to escalate, with The Man posting a response on social media to recent comments made by the SmackDown women's champion. 

In an interview with WWE on BT Sport, Flair said people might have a problem with her drive and ambition because she is a woman. 

Lynch responded on Twitter by saying that "gender ain’t the issue here."

It's been well-documented that there is legitimate heat between the top two female superstars on the WWE roster. 

"I don't know man," Lynch told Jimmy Traina on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. "We don't talk anymore, we don't talk. So all I'll say is the locker room needs a hero sometimes and somebody's got to be the hero. I'm all right being the hero. That's what I'll say on that matter."

Of course, this being wrestling, there is also a chance that the discord between the two women is getting played up. Lynch and Flair are going to square off at Survivor Series on Sunday. 

Lynch and Flair have been the two biggest women's stars developed by WWE. They, along with Ronda Rousey, became the first women in company history to headline WrestleMania. Their real-life animosity can make for a potentially difficult work environment, though their being on different brands should make it easier to navigate after the pay-per-view this weekend.

Vince Shoots Down Orton's Camel Ride

Vince McMahon nixed an idea to have both members of RK-Bro wanted to ride a camel to the ring at Crown Jewel. 

In an interview with Alistair McGeorge of Metro, Riddle said the WWE chairman wouldn't let Randy Orton take a stroll on one of the animals during the October event in Saudi Arabia. 

"Randy wanted to ride a camel, and Vince wouldn’t (let) him," Riddle explained. "He goes, 'Randy, that’s not your character, riding a camel.' He’s like, 'What does that mean, man?! My character doesn’t ride a camel?!'"

Riddle did get the experience of riding a camel down to the ring for their match against AJ Styles and Omos for the Raw tag team titles. 

Riddle said he's not sure who pitched the idea of having him ride a camel, but he got a call the morning of the show to let him know he needed to come in early to rehearse the entrance. 

Even though Orton wasn't able to take part in the camel-riding, it was a good day for his team. RK-Bro retained the titles after Orton hit Styles with the RKO into the Floating Bro by Riddle for the pinfall. 

AEW Stars Happy After Full Gear

Coming off arguably the best pay-per-view in company history, everyone with AEW is reportedly very happy. 

Per Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast, one person in AEW described morale as "very high with the locker room" after Full Gear. 

Full Gear featured everything that AEW does so well. The level of wrestling and depth of storytelling was as good as any pay-per-view event in 2021. 

There were things set up for the future, including the debut of Jay Lethal and MJF potentially being angled toward a title shot after his victory over Darby Allin. Bryan Danielson also guaranteed himself an AEW championship match with a submission win over Miro. 

The main event was the culmination of a three-year storyline involving Adam Page, Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Page pinned Omega cleanly with the buckshot lariat to win the AEW world title. 

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Austin Theory found another way to antagonize the Mysterio family.

WWE official Adam Pearce announced Theory will replace Rey Mysterio on Team Raw for the tag team elimination match at Survivor Series.

Following a loss to Bobby Lashley in the main event, Mysterio was being tended to by son Dominik and WWE personnel. Pearce raised questions about his suitability for Sunday's pay-per-view and removed him from the card. Theory proceeded to attack Dominik, which was apparently enough to impress Pearce.

Raw will now be represented by Theory, Lashley, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and Kevin Owens. It's quite the company for Theory to keep considering the four other team members have held world titles with the main roster.

Beyond furthering his feud with the Mysterios, this could be WWE's way of showing how the 24-year-old is tabbed for bigger and brighter things down the road.

In the event he and Team Raw come out on top, though, Theory probably shouldn't celebrate for too long because Rey and Dominik will inevitably look to mete out some revenge.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and All Elite Wrestling. 

Kenny Omega Dealing With Shoulder Injury

Kenny Omega may be headed for some well-deserved time off. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio reported Omega worked his Full Gear main event with Hangman Page with an injured shoulder.

"I don’t know if he has no strength (in his shoulders), but he can’t lift heavy weights with them. I don’t even know if he can lift with them," Meltzer said (via Fightful). "The last time we were talking about it, he said he was able to lift the bar. So it’s 45 pounds. … He’s told me, ‘I can work a match without my shoulders.’"

Omega has managed to continue putting on brilliant matches despite the injury, with Saturday's main event against Page arguably serving as the match of the year.

That said, if he needs to take some time off, there's a ready-made storyline seemingly already in the works. The Young Bucks came down to ringside toward the end of Page's victory over Omega but chose not to interfere. In fact, the Bucks seemed to give Page their seal of approval for finishing off Omega in the waning seconds of the match.

With Adam Cole in AEW to reform the Supercliq with the Bucks, they could turn on an injured Omega to write him off television while he recovers. That turns Omega babyface in the process while giving him an immediate storyline for when he returns to action. 

Think: D-Generation X turning on an injured Shawn Michaels, with Triple H taking over the leadership role.

Danielson Held Out of Independent Show

While Bryan Danielson and all AEW workers have the freedom to work independent shows, sometimes Tony Khan does ask them to refrain from making certain appearances. That was reportedly the case with Khan requesting Bryan turn down an independent appearance in a market where AEW has yet to appear, per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestlingInc).

The report did not specify which event, but the Nov. 20 DEFY event in Washington seems like a strong bet. Jon Moxley was advertised as the main event attraction but will be unable to make it as he continues his treatment for alcohol abuse. 

Danielson, who was born in that state, would have been a natural replacement—one that would arguably sell the show even better to the market. 

It's understandable that Khan would want Danielson's first post-WWE appearance in his home market to take place with AEW. Don't be surprised if AEW looks to book the Seattle area early in 2022.

Sasha Banks Admits to Jealousy over Rousey Salary

It wasn't exactly a secret that Ronda Rousey had backstage heat during her year in WWE. While the MMA star-turned-wrestler made significant improvements over her run with the company, some felt she was pushed over talents who put the work in.

Sasha Banks admitted to feeling some frustration over Rousey's high salary and treatment. 

“I can only speak for myself; there might be a little tension. I am not sure about any real heat. I was pissed off that Ronda Rousey could come in, get more money than me, bigger locker room than me and bring all these people backstage and get more time than me," Banks said on the Kurt Angle Show (h/t Ringside News). "I’m like, ‘Excuse me! Who is you, and what you do?’ Besides respecting everything that she has done in the UFC and the fight world, when it comes to the squared circle, that is my home. That is why I’m the legit boss, not Ronda Rousey."

From a pure wrestling perspective, Banks is right. She's nine levels above Rousey. It's not close. The difference in their skill level is about the same as Rousey's advantage in a shoot fight.

That said, Rousey's name carries mainstream cache and she got WWE the attention that it wouldn't have otherwise gotten without her arrival. 

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).