Eddie Kingston Injured His Shoulder in Loss to CM Punk at 2021 AEW Full Gear
Nov 14, 2021
AEW star Eddie Kingston suffered a shoulder injury during Sunday's loss to CM Punk at Full Gear, per Joshua Gagnon of Wrestling Inc.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported Kingston missed the Big Event convention in New York City on Sunday morning. Northeast Wrestling also noted the competitor suffered a shoulder injury and was undergoing "a series of medical tests."
Kingston and CM Punk were involved in a brutal bout Sunday at the Target Center in Minneapolis that left both fighters bloody.
Though Punk earned the win by pinfall, the drama didn't end there as Kingston refused to shake his opponent's hand:
After the pay-per-view event, Bryan Danielson discussed Kingston and noted his "shoulder right now is really banged up."
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
WWE Says Keith Lee's Comments About Medical Bill Payments 'Are Erroneous'
Nov 13, 2021
Former WWE Superstar Keith Lee tweeted Monday that he had to pay his medical bills while he was away from the wrestling ring for six months to treat heart issues.
Thank you for all the positivity that has been dropped on me the past few days as well as the birthday wishes. I love you. Worry not. We are not done. We work.#BaskInMyGlory#iAmLimitlesspic.twitter.com/NkxqL6qkWM
The WWE has since released a statement disputing that notion, per Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.
Keith Lee’s recent comments implying WWE failed to pay his medical bills are erroneous.
WWE has an extensive healthcare program for the medical care of its in-ring performers and Mr. Lee was part of this program while with the company.
Should Mr. Lee have any concerns over the payment of medical bills, he is welcome to address them with WWE.
The 37-year-old Lee signed with WWE in May 2018 and joined NXT, where he wrestled for two years. He was the NXT Champion and NXT North American Champion during his time with the brand.
Lee got the call to the main roster in August 2020 and was soon featured in matches with big stars. His debut was against Randy Orton, and he also got a shot at Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship in January.
Unfortunately, Lee tested positive for COVID-19 and later had heart inflammation as a result.
"Some people may have experienced this thing where there's like an inflammation in the heart or lungs, for me it was the heart," Lee said, per Joseph Currier of the Wrestling Observer.
"That led to very scary times. I was basically forbidden from training or any activity outside of a light walk. There was a fear that doing more than that—that there was a chance that I could just up and pass away."
He returned to the ring on July 19 after a five-and-a-half month absence but was among 18 wrestlers released Nov. 4, per Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online.
Frankie Monet, Ember Moon, Jessi Kamea, Katrina Cortez, Jeet Rama, Oney Lorcan, Trey Baxter, Zayda Ramier, Scarlett, B-Fab, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, Karrion Kross, Harry Smith, Nia Jax, Eva Marie, Keith Lee, and Mia Yim all released "due to budget cuts."
Lee's last WWE appearance was on Oct. 25, when he defeated Cedric Alexander by pinfall on Monday Night Raw.
Rumors on CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, WWE WrestleMania Events, Dorado & Metalik Cuts
Nov 12, 2021
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 26: Actor and wrestler Phil Brooks “CM Punk” talks during a screening episode of the Starz channel's wrestling drama "Heels" at the AMC River East Theater, on August 26, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Punk, Kingston Reportedly Had Real-Life Heat
CM Punk and Eddie Kingston are set to clash at AEW Full Gear on Saturday following a heated promo segment between them last week on Rampage.
Punk and Kingston brought an element of realism to the table when they went back and forth on the mic, and there may be a good reason for that.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Michael Perry of Ringside News), an unnamed wrestler told him they witnessed a verbal confrontation between Punk and Kingston backstage at an IWA Mid-South show early in their careers.
There was overlap between Punk and Kingston working for the company from 2003-05, which is likely when the confrontation would have taken place.
The wrestler told Meltzer:
I was sitting right there in an IWA Mid-South locker room when Punk called Eddie and his partner at the time, Blackjack Marciano, fat, lazy and unsafe. Marciano had just accidentally injured Delirious in a previous match and Punk was hot about it, so [he] just buried them nonstop. I could see why Eddie hung onto that hate and anger for so long.
It is unclear if Punk and Kingston have made amends over the years, but their real-life issues add intrigue to their upcoming match regardless.
Saturday will mark Punk's second pay-per-view match in AEW, as he previously beat Darby Allin in his AEW debut bout at All Out.
Kingston has wrestled several times on AEW pay-per-view events, but Full Gear could represent the biggest opportunity of his career given how big of a star Punk is.
Both competitors figure to leave it all on the line at Full Gear in a clash that has a chance to be the match of the night.
NXT TakeOver, WWE HOF Not Currently Scheduled for WrestleMania Weekend
WWE recently announced that WrestleMania 38 will be a two-night event at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 2 and 3, 2022.
While WWE has traditionally made WrestleMania a weeklong celebration, there are reportedly no plans in place yet for an NXT TakeOver or WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to occur in conjunction with WrestleMania 38.
According to Meltzer (h/t Perry), it is still possible WWE could add those events between now and next year's WrestleMania.
Ancillary events that WWE does have in place thus far are the April 1 SmackDown and April 4 Raw at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and WrestleMania Axxess at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony has taken place during the week leading up to WrestleMania for many years, while NXT TakeOver events began occurring during WrestleMania week in 2016, which was the last time WrestleMania was in Dallas.
There was no WrestleMania weekend TakeOver in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there was a two-night TakeOver leading up to WrestleMania this year.
NXT has undergone a huge transformation in recent months with WWE focusing on younger, less-experienced wrestlers. There hasn't been a TakeOver under the NXT 2.0 umbrella, but WWE recently announced NXT WarGames for December.
As for the Hall of Fame ceremony, one wasn't held in 2020 because of the pandemic, while this year's took place with no live crowd in attendance and saw both the class of 2020 and 2021 inducted.
Dorado, Metalik Reportedly Requested WWE Release
Prior to getting released by WWE earlier this month, Lucha House Party members Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik reportedly requested to get let go by the company.
Per Meltzer (h/t Perry), Dorado was upset after having to take the pinfall in a tag team loss to Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo on Main Event on Sept. 13. He reportedly spoke to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon afterward and asked for his release.
Metalik reportedly asked for his release as well because he also wanted out, although he "was not the kind of a guy who would have asked out" if not for Dorado already doing so.
Dorado and Metalik both debuted in WWE as part of the Cruiserweight Classic tournament in 2016. Both wrestlers impressed and Metalik made it all the way to the finals where he fell to T.J. Perkins.
They primarily appeared in 205 Live for a couple of years after that before joining forces with Kalisto to form the Lucha House Party stable.
After Kalisto was released in April, Dorado and Metalik continued to team together, but they didn't receive much television time.
Dorado and Metalik are presumably under 90-day non-compete clauses, meaning they will be eligible to sign elsewhere and appear on TV in early February.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
Tony Khan on Possibility of Bray Wyatt Joining AEW: 'We’ll See What Happens'
Nov 11, 2021
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 01: WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt watches from the sideline during the XFL game between the DC Defenders and Tampa Bay Vipers on March 01, 2020 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wrestling fans are anxiously waiting to find out where former WWE superstar Windham Rotunda, who wrestled as Bray Wyatt, will land after his 90-day non-compete clause ended two weeks ago.
AEW CEO Tony Khan was asked about the chances of signing Wyatt during a media scrum on Thursday, and he left the door open to the possibility but noted that he hasn't approached the former WWE champion.
"I like Windham a lot," Khan said, per Wrestling Inc. "We'll see what happens, you know, I haven't talked to him about it ever, about him coming to AEW."
Wyatt has rebranded himself and is currently utilizing his real name. Khan went on to say that he hasn't spoken with the superstar since last year.
"The last time I saw Windham was at Chris Jericho’s birthday party and it was a pretty late night, and it was last year," he said. "So, it’s a very different world. I only briefly saw him in passing—I was heading out while he was heading in. It was a pretty late night, but I think he’s a wonderful person and a really great talent."
Wyatt is known as one of the most creative minds in all of wrestling. He was lauded for his character work in WWE, and he was featured in major rivalries with some of the company's top stars. His release in July came as a shock to the wrestling world, considering his popularity and successful merchandising sales.
There were rumors circling last week that Wyatt was difficult to work with toward the end of his WWE run. Despite this, wrestling companies likely remain undeterred from pursuing Wyatt because he is still widely popular even though he hasn't wrestled in months.
Wyatt's first venture outside of WWE will be a motion picture. He is set to begin shooting a feature film with Callosum Studios in Tennessee later this month.
AEW is holding its Full Gear pay-per-view event this Saturday, but it is unlikely that Wyatt will make a surprise appearance.
WWE Rumors: Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar Crack $5M as WWE's Highest-Paid Stars
Nov 11, 2021
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are reportedly the two highest-paid Superstars on the WWE roster.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Michael Perry of Ringside News) reported that Lesnar and Reigns are the only two wrestlers in WWE who earn at least $5 million annually. Meltzer noted that "a couple" of others make north of $3 million.
It comes as little surprise that Lesnar and Reigns are at the top of the heap since they are perhaps WWE's two biggest stars.
Lesnar only appears on a part-time basis, as has been the case since his return to the company in 2012 after an eight-year hiatus, and it has always been assumed that he was well compensated.
The Beast Incarnate is constantly involved in big rivalries and matches when he is present, and he most recently challenged Reigns for the Universal Championship at Crown Jewel last month.
Reigns is WWE's top full-time Superstar without any question, and he has done the best work of his career since turning heel in the summer of 2020.
The Tribal Chief has held the Universal Championship for well over a year, and he is the linchpin of SmackDown.
WWE has been trying to push Reigns as the face of the company for many years, but a large portion of the fanbase never bought into him as a babyface.
Both Reigns and the fans have embraced his heel persona, however, and he has positioned himself to be one of the biggest and most successful stars in WWE history.
Reigns vs. Lesnar is perhaps the biggest money match and feud available to WWE right now, and given the controversial ending to their match at Crown Jewel with The Usos and Paul Heyman getting involved, it is likely WWE will go back to it sometime between now and WrestleMania.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
The Undertaker Wishes Roman Reigns, Not Brock Lesnar, Broke His WrestleMania Streak
Nov 11, 2021
If the Undertaker had his way, his WrestleMania streak wouldn't have been broken by Brock Lesnar.
Speaking to Joey Hayden of the Dallas Morning News, the Phenom explained why he thinks Roman Reigns should have been the first superstar to defeat him at WWE's biggest show:
I don’t know that Brock needed that win. Brock was a bona fide superstar at that point. So, I don’t know that he needed it. Roman [Reigns defeating Undertaker at WM33] definitely, that was the right call. I just wish he may have been first. I wish I could have reversed them, you know what I’m saying? If Roman would have been able to do it, I think it would have increased the value.
Lesnar's win over the Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 remains one of the most stunning results in WWE history. "The Streak" had gotten so big by that point that the Dead Man's matches would often be more anticipated than whatever the main event bout was.
Undertaker won each of his first 21 matches on the grandest stage of them all, but Lesnar's pinfall victory in 2014 was such a surprise that one fan's reaction was used for years on social media as shorthand for a stunning result.
The result made sense at the time, because WWE was building Lesnar up to win the championship before dropping the title to Reigns at WrestleMania 31, establishing him as the new top superstar.
But the negative fan response to Reigns starting at the 2015 Royal Rumble led to WWE adding Seth Rollins, who held the Money in the Bank briefcase at the time, into the WrestleMania main event.
Rollins wound up pinning Reigns to win the title.
Three years after Undertaker's loss to Lesnar, he eventually got to main event WrestleMania with Reigns. The Head of the Table won the match with a spear.
Things have worked out just fine for Reigns. He's currently the top star in WWE and has held the universal championship since beating Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman in a triple-threat match at Payback on Aug. 30, 2020.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Becky Lynch Says She Doesn't Talk to Charlotte Flair amid WWE Backstage Rumors
Nov 11, 2021
Ahead of their upcoming match at Survivor Series, Raw Women's champion Becky Lynch commented Thursday on reported backstage issues between her and SmackDown Women's champion Charlotte Flair.
Appearing on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Jason Ounpraseuth), Lynch divulged that she and Flair are no longer close despite previously being great friends:
On this week's SI MEDIA PODCAST, I asked WWE superstar Becky Lynch about a recent backstage incident with Charlotte Flair and their real-life heat. Lynch did not pull any punches. https://t.co/A6BAlsrEmOpic.twitter.com/zo8zFwyWLT
Last month, PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Sai Mohan) reported that Lynch and Flair got "heated" with each other backstage following a segment on SmackDown.
When asked about the reported confrontation and her relationship with Flair, Lynch told Traina: "I don't know, man. We don't talk anymore. We don't talk. So all I'll say is the locker room needs a hero sometimes. And sometimes somebody's gotta be a hero. I'm all right being that hero. That's what I'll say on that matter."
The segment was an exchange of belts since Lynch was the SmackDown women's champion moving to Raw and Flair was the Raw women's champion moving to SmackDown as part of the WWE draft.
Things quickly seemed to get contentious, as Charlotte dropped the SmackDown women's title on the canvas and Becky later threw the Raw women's title at The Queen.
Flair was reportedly against doing the segment because she felt it would make her title reign look weak. The Man reportedly felt Charlotte was "trying to make her look bad" by dropping the belt.
Alex McCarthy of TalkSport later reported that Lynch and Flair have had a "strained" relationship since 2018 when Becky called Charlotte "plastic" in a promo.
Lynch and Flair will have to try to put their differences aside when they clash at Survivor Series in a champion vs. champion match on Nov. 21.
Regarding whether not being on the same page with Charlotte could make performing more difficult, Lynch said on the podcast:
Oh, 100% more difficult. ... That's the thing. When you've got two people that are wanting to work together to make magic, then you make magic. Sometimes when there's hostility, when you can't trust the person, then you never know what's going to happen. You always have to be on guard. It's like a game of chess. You have to be thinking two steps, three steps, four steps ahead. What are they gonna do? How am I gonna handle it? If they do this, if they do that, whatever.
This business is built on trust and working together, that's the art of it. That's the beauty of it. If I make you look good, you make me look good. It's an art. It's a beautiful art, it's an art I love more than anything. If people don't know how to make that art, then it becomes difficult. It becomes tricky and you never really get the full potential. But there's intrigue there, too, because we never know, was this meant to happen? Was that not meant to happen? What's gonna go down? There's interest in both ways. One way, it's the beautiful pure art of pro wrestling. The other way is a bit of a s--t show. So we'll see what happens.
Lynch was also asked if she trusts Flair, and she said she did not. Additionally, Becky said she and Charlotte "used to be best friends" when asked if they were no longer friends.
While there seems to be an obvious fissure between Lynch and Flair, it does make the prospects of their match at Survivor Series more exciting.
Becky acknowledged that there is added intrigue because of how things went down during the title exchange. It is unclear if any of that was by design, but there is no question that Lynch vs. Flair at Survivor Series is now a can't-miss match for wrestling fans.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
WWE Rumors on Finn Balor Injury, Xavier Woods' Contract; Rob Van Dam Denies Rumor
Nov 10, 2021
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 19: Finn Balor during WWE Live AccorHotels Arena Popb Paris Bercy on May 19, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Balor Reportedly Nursing Minor Injury
Finn Balor is reportedly dealing with a minor injury that kept him out of action Tuesday.
According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), Balor did not wrestle at the WWE live event in Nottingham, England, as a precautionary measure related to the injury.
Balor was in action one night earlier when he beat Sheamus at the live event in Leeds, England. Balor also teased a potential future match against WALTER during that show.
The Irishman was kept off Monday night's episode of Raw so WWE could keep him in Europe for one of the company's first European tours since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Balor was not on Raw, he still figures to be a huge part of the red brand's storylines moving forward.
Over the weekend, he was named part of the Raw men's traditional elimination five-on-five Survivor Series team for the pay-per-view later this month.
Joining Balor on the team are Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio and Bobby Lashley, the latter of whom beat Dominik Mysterio in a match to earn the last spot.
Balor has been a key figure since getting called back up to the main roster from NXT in July, even challenging Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship twice before being moved from SmackDown to Raw as part of the WWE draft.
Provided Balor's injury isn't significant, he figures to be back on Raw in the coming weeks as part of the build toward Survivor Series.
Details Regarding UpUpDownDown Holdout in WWE
Xavier Woods and other content creators for the UpUpDownDown YouTube channel are reportedly holding out on producing videos until Woods receives a better deal from WWE regarding the channel.
According to Fightful Select (h/t Middleton), Woods receives "little to no" additional money from WWE related to UpUpDownDown.
WWE reportedly applies some of the money earned from the channel toward the downside guarantee in Woods' contract, and that will be the case with his hosting job on the G4 channel as well.
Fightful noted that other WWE Superstars who are part of UpUpDownDown have a similar deal in terms of revenue being applied to their downside guarantees.
WWE has reportedly always owned UpUpDownDown, and Woods has reportedly never received a significant amount of money from it despite contrary beliefs from outsiders.
Woods and the other UUDD content creators are standing in solidarity until a new agreement is reached with WWE. If that happens, the expectation is that content will resume being created for the channel.
The UpUpDownDown situation hasn't had any impact on Woods from a creative perspective, as he was booked to beat Balor in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament at Crown Jewel.
Woods has hit the ground running with his king character and is set to face Universal champion Roman Reigns in a non-title match on Friday's episode of SmackDown.
Additionally, Woods will be part of Team SmackDown in the Survivor Series men's traditional five-on-five elimination match, teaming with Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, Sami Zayn and Happy Corbin.
RVD Shoots Down Rumored Reason for Not Wrestling in WWE
Rob Van Dam denied a rumor that has been making the rounds regarding why he has not wrestled for WWE since getting back involved with the company earlier this year.
Appearing on Insight with Chris Van Vliet (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), RVD said he will likely wrestle for WWE again and also denied the notion that WWE won't let him wrestle due to concussions:
"I definitely have matches in me. I am not sure if they will be in WWE or not. I think probably because why not? At the same time, maybe there is a why not that I do not know about. Despite it all, I've kept in touch with Vince [McMahon]. I know we have a good relationship. Specifically, when certain things happen, there was something nobody knows about that got thrown around and got back to me that [former WWE employee Mark] Carrano said I was part of the concussion suit against WWE, complete bulls--t. It seemed to stop me from doing something I wanted to do. Very shortly after, I talked to Vince, he did not mention anything.
"There was rumors that went out that WWE had told me I could never wrestle for them again because of concussions, and most people believed that was true. but I have never talked to WWE about any concussions."
The 50-year-old Van Dam last wrestled at an independent show in September, but his most recent televised match was last year when he was under contract with Impact Wrestling.
RVD resurfaced in WWE earlier this year when he was selected as part of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2021.
The exact details of his deal aren't public, but Van Dam is known to have signed a contract with WWE, as he has two new WWE Mattel action figures scheduled to come out soon.
As such, it stands to reason that WWE has the option of using him as an in-ring performer if it so chooses.
Van Dam won't be a full-time performer at this point in his career, but the former WWE champion is still popular, and there could be value in utilizing him on a part-time basis.
A logical target date for his in-ring return could be in late January as a surprise entrant in the 2022 men's Royal Rumble match since he would undoubtedly receive a huge pop from the live crowd.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Bray Wyatt to Star in Feature Film After Being Released from WWE Contract
Nov 9, 2021
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 01: WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt watches from the sideline during the XFL game between the DC Defenders and Tampa Bay Vipers on March 01, 2020 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
We may see the former Bray Wyatt on the silver screen before we see him back in a wrestling ring.
Callosum Studios owner Jason Baker told Alistair McGeorge of Metro that he and Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, are set to begin shooting a feature film in Tennessee later this month.
"He’s a phenomenal collaborator, he’s become a really good friend, and we’re actually—you’re the first person that we’re publicly telling about—we’re starting a film at the end of the month," Baker said.
Baker described the movie as "Ichi the Killer meets Xanadu."
Rotunda was seen on the Warner Bros. lot last month, which fueled speculation that he may be filming something for a wrestling return. It seems that instead Rotunda was with Baker meeting with Hollywood types trying to launch his movie career.
Rotunda's 90-day non-compete clause with WWE ended Oct. 31, meaning he is free to show up in any promotion at any time. However, with a movie shoot on the way, it doesn't appear he's planning any pop-ups anytime soon.
We can probably rule him out from showing up at Saturday's Full Gear pay-per-view.
Miro Talks Facing Bryan Danielson at Full Gear, 'Redeemer' Moniker, More in B/R AMA
Nov 9, 2021
Leading up to his huge match against Bryan Danielson at Saturday's AEW Full Gear pay-per-view, Miro took part in an AMA session with the Bleacher Report.
Miro discussed the importance of his match against Danielson, which is the finals of the AEW World Championship eliminator tournament. The winner will go on to challenge the winner of the AEW World title match between Kenny Omega and "Hangman" Adam Page at a later date.
The former TNT champion also fielded questions about his "Redeemer" character, his wife, former WWE Superstar Lana (C.J. Perry), eventually joining him in AEW and his time in WWE as Rusev, among other subjects.
The following is the transcript from the AMA session.
@BR_Westling How does it feel to go up against Bryan Danielson in the World Title Eliminator Finals?
It's nothing personal. That's how I feel. Bryan, he's got many fans over the world, but to me he's nothing. He's just standing between me and my wife and this is my way home -- going through him.
It's going to be very exciting for the people. God's gonna have a choice and it's me or him. I have a current ongoing feud with God, which is the most important feud there is. And Bryan is going to be just a casualty along the way.
I think he's an obstacle. I've got a lot more to lose here. The road home is clear. I have to go through all these guys so I can bust their heads open to get to my wife and to put the world title under my crown.
I'm gonna beat him so bad he's going to bleed all over the ring and I'm gonna be the world champion at the end of the day.
@Just_In_Time Describe AEW's Full Gear card in one word. What is it and why?
Miro's pay-per-view. This is my destiny. It's my time. I've been saying this for so many months now. It's destiny. God is trying to make a choice now. It's not because he wants to make a choice now. It's because he has to.
@ASnyder501 Who on the AEW roster needs to be redeemed the most?
Myself. I said it before all of my promos. I need to redeem myself and that's why I need to win this tournament. I want to go home to my wife and be happy and provide for her. To do that, I'll be able to go home and be happy.
@JDP1019 I have a friend who doesn't believe you're god's favorite champion. How do I convince him?
Tell him to pray to god and stay silent for 30 minutes. Just listen to God and he'll give you the answers. That's how you get the most sincere answers. Be careful when you question god.
@GovernorChungus Was it your idea on the moniker 'The Redeemer'? What's the back story?
You can only poke the bear so much. I was made to dance and sing. None of these identities were me and I had to become me and redeem myself. And I just love god. I was born on Christmas. This was just the way to go for me.
@Brendan71 Was there a match or wrestler(s) you saw growing up that specifically hooked you into wanting to do this in the future?
Hulk Hogan, age of 6.
@BlessedBobbyB Which AEW superstar do you look forward to wrestling the most?
I don't think I'm concerned with anyone in particular. The only thing I see right now is beating Bryan. I don't care who it is. Once I win this Saturday, that champion is going to go down under my ground, my feet.
@Booyaka When will we see CJ in AEW alongside you?
When the time is right.
@Dashbordarmy What has been your favorite AEW match so far?
All of the matches have been great. I've been in WWE for so long and all of these guys I'm wrestling now are for the first time. Every time I step in the ring, it's brand new. I'm always excited because I'm going to hit someone hard, bust them up and win.
@McGiilll Have you ever considered using another finishing move besides the thrust kick or game ovaa?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've won so many matches with the kick. You win by hitting someone hard, not by flying around the ring and looking all pretty with jumps and flips. Keep it stiff.
@RyanFisher1998 Do you miss the Rusev character?
Rusev is just me. I stand for myself. I believed then that I represented the Russians, my country. All of these other guys are fighting for B.S. I'm fighting for me. Whether it worked or not, it is what it is.
@Beersnake99 Do you like living in Nashville?
I love Nashville. I haven't been in a while because I'm busy but I love it.
@Th3Prince Love that you are a Clippers fan and a basketball fan in general. When did you become a Clips fan and who are some of your favorite players?
I'm a big Shaq fan. I've followed him since the Orlando days. I just moved on and became a Miami fan. Then, I was living in LA. I went to watch Clippers-Miami, then Clippers-Phoenix because that's where Shaq was. At that point, I decided to keep watching the Clippers. Around 2007, I became a fresh Clippers fan. It was unbelievable to see Lob City. That was one of my best times watching sports. I can't beat myself up too much about who wins because it's not my game.
@IamTheGreat31 Assuming the latest crop of WWE releases are coming your way into AEW in the near future, who are you most looking forward to facing and why?
Nia Jax. She drove my wife through some tables and I feel like I need to get her back.
@A20gtx Who would you put on your Mt. Rushmore of wrestling?
