Becky Lynch Explains Why She 'Squashed' Bianca Belair for the Title at WWE SummerSlam
Oct 12, 2021
LISBON , PORTUGAL - 7 November 2019; Becky Lynch, WWE Superstar, WWE, on Centre Stage during the final day of Web Summit 2019 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images)
WWE SmackDown women's champion Becky Lynch provided some insight this week into why she beat Bianca Belair so quickly at SummerSlam in August.
Appearing on Out of Character with Ryan Satin of Fox Sports (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), The Man explained the line of thinking regarding the manner in which she beat The EST:
"That's a great rivalry–we like both of these guys. How do we make them not like one of them? She's a company girl, let's do this quick. I know a lot of people were upset, 'Oh, if they were going to do this, they should've had a long match.' Well, if we had a long match and then I beat her, then I just beat her. That's not good–that's not good for her. But if she's robbed, and we take something from her and she doesn't expect it, then we want to see her succeed? Oh, we want to see her succeed."
Belair was originally scheduled to defend the SmackDown women's title against Sasha Banks at SummerSlam, but it was announced seconds before the match that Banks could not compete, leading to Lynch making a surprise return.
It marked the first time in more than a year that Becky appeared on WWE programming after giving birth to her first child.
Rather than having a competitive match, Lynch offered Belair a handshake and took advantage of the trust Bianca put in her. Lynch punched Belair in the face, hit her with a variation of the Rock Bottom and pinned her in less than 30 seconds to become the new champ.
That moment served as a catalyst for a Lynch heel turn, and it can be argued that she has been far more entertaining in that role than she was as a babyface prior to her pregnancy.
Meanwhile, the goal of getting fans even more behind Belair has seemingly worked, as The EST has received hugely positive reactions on essentially every show since SummerSlam.
Fans continue to anticipate Lynch receiving her comeuppance from Belair, and it could happen as soon as next week at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view.
Lynch will put the SmackDown Women's Championship on the line against Belair and Banks in a Triple Threat at Crown Jewel.
Since both Lynch and Belair were moved to Raw as part of the WWE Draft, Banks is the most logical candidate to win that match, which would allow Lynch and Belair to continue their feud on Raw independent of the title.
Charlotte Flair, who holds the Raw women's title, got moved to SmackDown in the draft, and that could lead to Becky and Bianca vying for the Raw Women's Championship in the weeks and months following Crown Jewel.
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Becky Lynch Trolls Lita for Match; Paige Teases Return; WWE Rumors on Liv Morgan
Oct 11, 2021
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
Becky Lynch, Lita Tease Match?
It appears Lita may not be done with in-ring activity after all.
The WWE Hall of Famer teased a potential return in a back-and-forth with SmackDown champion Becky Lynch.
Lynch, who was drafted to the Raw brand last week, is set to defend her championship against Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair at the Crown Jewel event next week. Assuming that feud is blown off altogether—Banks is staying on SmackDown, but Belair is following Lynch to SmackDown—it might be a fun one-off for Lynch and Lita to have a match.
Lita hasn't been in a ring since a 10-woman tag match in 2018 that saw her team with Bayley, Natalya, Banks and Trish Stratus.
Paige Posts Cryptic Photo Hinting At Return
If Lita doesn't wind up returning, maybe Paige will be next in line for Lynch. The former Divas champion posted a picture showing her wrestling boots and her championship belt on Sunday as she continues to hint at an in-ring return.
The 29-year-old, who retired in 2018 because of neck injuries, has openly said she's looking to make a comeback.
"I'm not f--king done," Paige said in August on Twitch. "I'm not done yet. This is going to be my comeback story. I'm inspired. I'm so inspired by the people coming back to wrestling and the more I think about it, I'm like, 'Okay, mentally, I'm ready to go.' I'm going to start working around, getting in the ring a little bit. Maybe. We'll see. This is not saying I'm making a comeback tomorrow. It's a long f--king road. I still have to get cleared by doctors, I have to get cleared by WWE. It's such a bg process, but emotionally, I'm ready. The past few months, I didn't think I was emotionally ready, but no, I'm f--king ready to get back on the horse. Even if it takes me a year. One step at a time, build to it, that's exactly what I'm doing. There's a whole journey and it's going to take some time."
Paige's last WWE appearance came via Skype in March 2020 when she announced Bayley would defend the SmackDown women's championship in an elimination match at WrestleMania.
WWE Nixed Liv Morgan Queen's Crown Victory
Apparently, Friday's match between Liv Morgan and Carmella was supposed to go differently.
Fightful Select reported Morgan was originally supposed to win the match but plans changed. It's unclear what led to the change, but Carmella won in less than three minutes—not a particularly competitive match.
Morgan has momentum with fans but hasn't quite gotten the buy-in from management at this point. Her quick elimination in the Queen's Crown tournament is a sign she might be headed back to the bottom of the card.
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John Cena, Blake Griffin, Kim Kardashian, More Celebs Spoof 'The Bachelorette' on SNL
Oct 10, 2021
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 10: Kim Kardashian arrives at the afterparty for "Saturday Night Live" on October 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC images)
If you had the choice between 16-time WWE champion John Cena and some 5'7" guy named Zeke who is afraid to go swimming, who would you choose?
Well, Kim Kardashian West chose the obvious during her Bachelorette spoof on this week's Saturday Night Live.
The newly single mother of four seemed in her element in her first SNL hosting gig and played the part of dimwitted Bachelorette contestant well. She went down her star-studded group of suitors, with actors Chase Crawford and Jesse Williams, comedian Chris Rock, Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin and reality star Tyler Cameron of Bachelorette fame all advancing to leave Cena and Zeke (played by Kyle Mooney) as the final two.
Anyone who watches the Bachelorette would easily note that this was a near-perfect spoof and a good opportunity for some celebrities to make a cameo.
That said, we do feel bad for poor Zeke.
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 IInspiration, Former WWE Stars Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, Sign with Impact
Oct 10, 2021
SINGAPORE - JUNE 27: The IIconics in action during the WWE Live Singapore at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 27, 2019 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images for Singapore Sports Hub)
The IInspiration are headed for Impact (IImpact?) Wrestling.
Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay, formerly known as Peyton Royce and Billie Kay as the IIconics in WWE, were announced for Impact's Bound for Glory pay-per-view Saturday night.
Lee and McKay were released from WWE in April but have not made any outside appearances because of visa issues.
Impact has always seemed like the likeliest landing spot for the duo, thanks in large part to a robust Knockouts division and the presence of the Knockouts tag team championships. They can also continue to work outside dates for the company, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them pop up on a random AEW show or somewhere on the independent circuit.
Regardless, the wrestling world will be better for the return of their comedic stylings.
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WWE Rumors: 'Significant Frustration from Talent' About Booking of Women's Division
Oct 10, 2021
When WWE announced the Queen's Crown tournament, it appeared the company would be giving significant time to non-title women's division matches.
If Friday's SmackDown was any indication, that doesn't appear to be the case.
Opening-round matches between Toni Storm and Zelina Vega and Liv Morgan and Carmella lasted less than four minutes combined, and both matches were shorter than Roman Reigns' entrance for his promo segment.
Fightful Select reported there has been "significant frustration from talent and staff" regarding a lack of care given to the women's division in WWE.
While main event feuds in the division are regularly given time, the lower and midcard of the division are a mess. The women's tag team titles have not felt significant since their introduction, thanks in large part to a lack of commitment to tag teams in the division and the poor booking of tag champions.
Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart and Natalya and Tamina were both split at the WWE draft, leaving champions Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. as the only actual tag team remaining in the division.
The Queen's Crown seems to be another missed opportunity, and the fact that WWE is blowing off Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair in Saudi Arabia is also a questionable decision given that country's history of gender inequality.
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Drew McIntyre Has 'Unfinished Business' with Roman Reigns amid WWE SmackDown Move
Oct 6, 2021
TOKYO,JAPAN - JUNE 29: Drew McIntyre enters the ring during the WWE Live Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 29, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
One of the biggest moves of this year's WWE draft is former WWE champion Drew McIntyre being moved from Raw to SmackDown.
In a recent interview with DAZN, McIntyre said he welcomes the switch from Mondays to Fridays. He noted that SmackDown is special to him because he started his WWE career on that show in 2009. He also pointed out his desire to rekindle his rivalry with WWE universal champion Roman Reigns.
"I have unfinished business in a lot of ways just from a career perspective and things not working out when I was a kid on SmackDown," McIntyre said. "But at the same time, there's unfinished business there with Roman 100 percent. In WWE, he's the final boss, and I'm excited when the time comes for that story."
McIntyre's move to SmackDown will be made official after WWE's Crown Jewel pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia on October 17.
Britt Baker Says WWE Expressed Interest; Austin Theory; McMahon Worried About AEW?
Oct 6, 2021
PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 12: All Elite Wrestling Womens World Champion Britt Baker acknowledges the crowd before throwing out a first pitch before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on August 12, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Baker Says WWE Expressed Interest in Signing Her
Britt Baker is the biggest female star in All Elite Wrestling and the reigning AEW Women's World champion, but she divulged this week that AEW isn't the only wrestling company that values her.
Baker's boyfriend, Adam Cole, was in WWE at the time, but he has since signed with AEW, making his debut at All Out last month.
Regarding the overtures, Baker said:
"It's no secret, [Adam] has already said it, that cat is out of the bag and I'm not going to get in trouble. WWE was definitely poking the bear a little bit through him recently, when I was still with AEW. 'Hey, we're interested in her,' without teetering the line of contract tampering, they definitely let me know that they had interest in me, but it wasn't a mutual thing. I'm very happy with AEW and thankful for the opportunities and this is where I want to stay."
While WWE remains the biggest pro wrestling company in the world by a significant margin, AEW has made a ton of headway over the past two years and is a more than viable alternative capable of giving wrestlers large contracts and a platform to shine.
There is no shortage of wrestling fans who prefer the AEW product to WWE, although it is fair to say the women's division is one area in which AEW still clearly lags behind.
Baker is the one woman in AEW who has consistently been booked well and given regular television time, however, which is why it is understandable that she wants to stay put.
Many of the best women's wrestlers in the world reside in WWE, including Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Asuka and Bianca Belair, so it is possible Baker could have gotten lost in the mix in WWE.
As things stand, Baker is likely in the right spot, although she can rest easy knowing she has another good option available.
Former WWE Ref Thinks Vince is Concerned About AEW
Longtime former WWE referee Mike Chioda believes WWE Chairman Vince McMahon may be worried about AEW's ascent in the pro wrestling world.
Answering a question on the Monday Mailbag podcast for AdFreeShows (h/t Upton), Chioda gave his take on what he thinks McMahon is feeling regarding AEW:
"Yes, I think he is [concerned]. He always wants to be on top. I have seen him demolish and step on a lot of territories around the country and around the world. He wants to be No. 1. Everybody wants to be No. 1 whether it's in their sport, in their career, or owning a company. I definitely think he's very concerned right now because they're picking up some good talent. I know Vince. Vince is concerned.
"AEW's ratings are going up. People are interested. I'm interested in watching AEW. They're selling out arenas. The energy in the crowd is just phenomenal now. They went from one show to two shows now. Everybody is talking AEW."
Chioda broke into WWE in 1989 and worked there for over 30 years before getting released by the company last year. Given how long he worked for McMahon, there may be some validity to his comments.
The veteran official also worked a couple of dates for AEW last year following his WWE release, giving him firsthand knowledge and experience with both promotions.
McMahon is undoubtedly well aware of AEW given that NXT went head to head with Dynamite on Wednesday nights for over a year until NXT moved to Tuesday nights.
For now, Raw and SmackDown are still bringing in significantly higher viewership than Dynamite and Rampage, although Dynamite has been near and even above Raw's rating in the 18-49-year-old demographic recently.
McMahon would likely prefer not having any competition in the pro wrestling space, but there is plenty of room for multiple companies to thrive, and given WWE's massive footprint and multiple billion-dollar television deals, it is in no imminent danger of falling from its perch.
Big Push Planned for Theory on Raw
Austin Theory made a big splash on Monday night's episode of Raw, and that reportedly may continue to be the case moving forward.
According to H Jenkins of Ringside News, a tenured member of the WWE creative team said there are "big plans" to heavily feature and push the up-and-coming Superstar moving forward.
Theory had a cup of coffee on the main roster before around the time of WrestleMania 36 in 2020, but he eventually got sent back down to NXT.
It was during his second NXT stint that Theory truly came into his own. Theory joined The Way stable with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, and he became one of the most entertaining people on the roster during that time.
Theory was given a ditzy personality, and he played the character to near perfection while also showing off his ability and high ceiling in the ring.
At just 24 years of age, the sky is the limit for Theory, and WWE seemed to give him a ringing endorsement this week.
After getting moved to Raw as part of the WWE Draft, Theory interrupted a Jeff Hardy promo and asked for a selfie with him. After taking it, Theory knocked Hardy out and then took a selfie next to Hardy's prone body.
Involving Theory with a legend and former WWE champion like Hardy seemingly says a lot about how WWE views him and intends to utilize him moving forward.
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WWE Draft Rumors on Big E, Bobby Lashley, Sasha Banks, The Street Profits
Oct 5, 2021
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
WWE Changed Big E, Lashley Draft Plans
WWE champion Big E was the No. 1 draft pick for Raw on Friday night's WWE draft edition of SmackDown, but that reportedly wasn't the original plan.
According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), WWE was initially going to make Bobby Lashley the No. 1 overall pick for Raw.
The idea was reportedly to make it a "cliffhanger" by making Big E draft eligible on Monday rather than Friday. That would have forced fans to tune in to see where Big E would land.
That strategy could have been especially effective given that New Day members Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were moved to SmackDown on Friday. Because of that, there may have been some belief among fans that Big E could go back to the blue brand as well.
Instead, WWE broke up New Day for the second year in a row, and fans learned of the stable's fate on SmackDown.
With Big E getting drafted Friday, it did open the door for WWE to make a huge announcement at the start of Raw.
SmackDown Women's champion Becky Lynch opened the show and revealed that she was Raw's No. 1 overall pick on Night 2 of the draft.
The move was expected since Raw Women's champion Charlotte Flair already got drafted to SmackDown, but it was significant nonetheless.
With the draft now officially in the books, Big E has clearly been established as the face of Raw on the men's side, and making him the red brand's No. 1 overall pick made it obvious to the WWE Universe that he is viewed in that light.
Banks to Go Babyface on SmackDown?
Given the landscape of the SmackDown women's division, a big change could be in store for Sasha Banks.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News) speculated that Banks is likely to go from heel to babyface in the near future.
Meltzer pointed out that the other top women on SmackDown's roster, Flair and Shayna Baszler, are heels, which could necessitate The Boss moving to the other side of the ledger.
Given that Banks is hugely popular with the fans, it wouldn't be difficult to turn her. Even as a heel, she consistently receives babyface reactions, which is a telltale sign that she would be embraced in the top face role.
Banks appeared on Monday night's episode of Raw and essentially played a tweener role by attacking a babyface in Bianca Belair, as well as heels Flair and Lynch.
Sasha is scheduled to compete in a Triple Threat match for the SmackDown Women's Championship against Lynch and Belair later this month at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
Since Lynch and Belair are now part of the Raw roster, there is seemingly a good chance that Banks will win that match and become a two-time SmackDown Women's champion and seven-time Women's champion overall on the WWE main roster.
Establishing Banks as a strong babyface champ on the blue brand with Flair, Baszler and other contenders chasing after her would be an excellent foundation to the SmackDown women's division.
WWE Reversed Course on Street Profits Breakup
WWE reportedly had discussions about splitting up Street Profits members Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins in the draft.
According to PWInsider (h/t Middleton), WWE creative gave the split "serious consideration" before backing off and drafting the entire team to SmackDown.
PWInsider noted that if the split had taken place, Dawkins would have stayed on SmackDown on his own, while Ford would have moved to Raw with Belair, who is his real-life wife.
Talk of an eventual Ford singles run heated up a couple of weeks ago when Ford faced Universal champion Roman Reigns in the main event of SmackDown in a non-title match.
While Ford lost the match, he looked like a star in the making, and perhaps that is what got the wheels turning among WWE's chief decision-makers.
Even so, it is difficult to argue with keeping The Street Profits together since they have been such a successful act in WWE and have plenty more they can accomplish as a duo.
The Street Profits have only held the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships one time each, but now that they are on the red brand, they instantly become one of the top contenders to challenge RK-Bro for the titles.
With feuds against AJ Styles and Omos and perhaps even The Hurt Business on tap as well, Ford and Dawkins have no shortage of creative possibilities.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Gable Steveson, Olympic Gold Medalist, Selected by Raw in 2021 WWE Draft
Oct 5, 2021
Minnesota's Gable Steveson prepares to take on Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet during their 285-pound match in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA wrestling championships Friday, March 19, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Minnesota wrestling star Gable Steveson has yet to appear in a match, but he's already making quite the splash in WWE.
The NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist was drafted to Raw on Monday night.
WWE announced in September it had signed Steveson to a deal that allows him to continue competing for the Golden Gophers for another season.
Especially with NXT 2.0 leaning more on younger, unproven developmental talent, the 21-year-old seemed like a natural fit on that roster. He could be the unquestioned No. 1 guy at Full Sail University while getting some experience and preparing for a move to the main roster.
However, Steveson hinted on The MMA Hour in September that he might sidestep NXT altogether.
"I was open for anything, but with the way things are going I think I'm going to jump straight to the main roster," he said (via Sean Rueter of Cageside Seats). "I know there's a lot to learn, and I'm ready to soak everything in like a sponge and just be ready to go out there and put on a good show for the crowd."
Because of his busy schedule, Steveson is unlikely to be a fixture on Raw anytime soon. But WWE is clearly positioning him to become a cornerstone of the promotion.
Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley Set for No Holds Barred Match at WWE Crown Jewel 2021
Oct 5, 2021
Goldberg will have his long-awaited opportunity for revenge against Bobby Lashley at Crown Jewel on Oct. 21.
The two will face off in a No Holds Barred match in Saudi Arabia.
Lashley brought this on himself for what he did after his victory over the WCW legend at SummerSlam in August. He placed Gage Goldberg in the Hurt Lock until the teenager passed out.
Last week, the elder Goldberg was unequivocal in what he intends to do to Lashley: "I'm going to hurt you real bad. Hell, if I'm lucky enough, I'll even kill you."
Given the stipulation for their Crown Jewel encounter, nothing will be off the table between these two in Saudi Arabia. Lashley may come to rue the day he pushed the Goldberg family to the edge.
