Tuesday's episode of WWE Backstage on FS1 featured some breaking news, like Paige and The Miz signing new contracts and Johnny Gargano being too injured to compete at NXT TakeOver : WarGames , but nothing tops the news of CM Punk's return...
Rusev on Lana and Lashley Feud; John Cena Talks WWE WrestleMania 36, Becky Lynch
Nov 12, 2019
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Rusev Defends Storyline with Lana and Lashley
The love triangle storyline involving Rusev, Lana and Bobby Lashley has received no shortage of criticism from WWE fans, but Rusev has a more positive outlook.
In an interview with Joe Brophy of The Sun, Rusev pointed out the fact that the angle has people talking and interested: "It's great. I think we are in the best storyline currently going on and the best storyline that's been around for years. It's getting a lot of views and a lot of eyes on it. Some people like it, some people love it, but at the end of the day, it's the hottest storyline going on."
The Bulgarian Brute has a point since the segment involving him, Lana and Lashley from Monday's Raw has far more YouTube views than any other video from the show with well over one million.
On Monday, Lana claimed she was pregnant with Rusev's baby, but it turned out to be a ruse, as she blindsided Rusev, which allowed Lashley to attack him and leave him laying in the middle of the ring.
It is anyone's guess where this angle will eventually go, but it does hearken back to the Attitude Era in many ways, even if it hasn't been a perfect storyline by any stretch of the imagination.
If people continue to tune in and go out of their way to see the segments, there is no reason for WWE to end the angle any time soon.
Cena Says He'll Attend WrestleMania 36
John Cena has been a fixture at WrestleMania since appearing at the event for the first time at WrestleMania 19, and he has no plans to miss The Showcase of The Immortals next year.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Cena made it clear he has every intention of being at WrestleMania 36 and every WrestleMania beyond that for a long time to come:
"I never make the matches, I'm just grateful to be able to perform in WWE. Every day away from it, I miss it more and more and more. I'm becoming more honest with myself about how much I miss it. I'm very eager to get back into a WWE ring soon.
"And on the subject of WrestleMania, I can tell you this—I haven't missed a WrestleMania since my first appearance at WrestleMania 19, and I do not plan to miss a WrestleMania for decades to come."
While Cena did not have a match at WrestleMania 35 this year after losing to The Undertaker in an impromptu match the previous year, he did appear on the show by interrupting Elias' concert with a rap that called back to his Doctor of Thuganomics character.
The segment was well received by fans, but it certainly felt odd for WrestleMania to come and go without Cena having a match even though he is now only a part-time performer due to his commitments as a Hollywood actor.
Cena's comments suggest he would like to have a match this year, and there are plenty of intriguing potential opponents, but it seems likely that Cena will be in Tampa in some capacity even if a match doesn't materialize.
Lynch Not Focused on Universal Title
Intergender wrestling is arguably more popular than ever, and it has inevitably led to discussion regarding whether it will eventually become commonplace in WWE.
One would imagine that Raw women's champion Becky Lynch would lead the way for the women if that ever does happen, but in an interview with Sam Roberts of SiriusXM (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Lynch suggested that winning a men's title like the Universal Championship isn't on her radar:
"Here's the thing, I don't know if that's necessary because in my eyes this [Raw Women's title] is the top title in the company. Not in my eyes—hell, this is the top title in the company. I'm the one who defends it the most. I am the one who's made it the most and yeah, there's no doubt about it. This is the top title in the company."
It is difficult to argue with Lynch's stance since she is perhaps the most popular Superstar in WWE and main evented WrestleMania 35 against Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair, meaning she and her title were put in the biggest spot.
While Lynch has been booked somewhat inconsistently since WrestleMania aside from a great feud with Sasha Banks that culminated in a memorable Hell in a Cell match, she is still one of the biggest parts of Raw on a weekly basis.
At Survivor Series, Lynch will be in a huge champion vs. champion vs. champion match against SmackDown women's champion Bayley and NXT women's champion Shayna Baszler.
That match has a chance to steal the show, and if it does, it will be yet another huge accomplishment on Lynch's already impressive resume.
Becoming the first woman in WWE history to win a world title would be a big deal as well, but Lynch is seemingly more focused on ensuring that the women's division is considered to be on equal footing with the men's division.
Listen toRing Rust Radiofor all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below(warning: some languageNSFW).
John Cena on 'Very Reduced' WWE Workload, In-Ring Future, The Rock and More
Nov 6, 2019
John Cena, a cast member in the upcoming film
Longtime WWE Superstar John Cena said Wednesday there are no plans for him to make a return to wrestling amid his budding career in Hollywood.
Cena told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated he's happy with his transition to a new stage in his career, and it's one where his WWE appearances will likely be limited by design.
"The fan base has seen some wonderful individuals look a step slower," he said. "I just don't want to be that person. People like Steve Austin and Dwayne Johnson, they have done it perfectly."
The 42-year-old Massachusetts native joined WWE in 2000 and began working as a full-time Superstar two years later. He stopped short of saying another in-ring run isn't on the horizon, but it doesn't sound like he'll ever be the Raw or SmackDown building block he's been in the past.
"Any athlete that has played 17 seasons will tell you they need to be considering what to do when they play their last game," Cena said. "It's been a wonderful ride. I'm at a very reduced workload now. I feel great, I still have my health, my sanity, and wonderful emotional balance."
He's following in the successful footsteps of Johnson, better known to WWE audiences as The Rock, which is funny in hindsight because Cena often lambasted the People's Champion for his part-time schedule during their feud that covered WrestleMania main events in both 2012 and 2013.
Although those pointed remarks came in character, the Doctor of Thuganomics told Barrasso he's reached out to Rocky to make it clear he understands now those jabs weren't fair.
"I've told Dwayne Johnson that when I called him out for a lack of love for WWE, I was wrong," Cena said. "I was ignorant. He loves WWE, but he goes from shooting one project to the next. He blazed a trail and I didn't understand that, but now I totally understand. I was wrong. It led to a good piece of business in WWE [at WrestleMania 28 and 29], but I was speaking from a point of selfish ignorance."
WWE chairman Vince McMahon would surely welcome Cena back with open arms as the company attempts to build SmackDown on network television following its debut on Fox last month.
The 13-time WWE champion told Sports Illustrated he isn't interested in going back to go through the motions, though.
"I literally give my life, willingly, to WWE," Cena said. "But you shouldn't be the same person you were yesterday. You should always evolve and grow and change. I want to make sure I still love what I do. I never want to get to the point where I steal your money just to get your money."
In other words, Cena will likely make occasional returns for major storylines revolving around the company's biggest events—Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and SummerSlam—but it sounds like that'll be the extent of his involvement in the future.
Video: John Cena Donates $500K to First Responders Battling California Fires
Oct 29, 2019
SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 19: Actor and wrestler John Cena takes part in pre-game events before a baseball game between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park June 19, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
WWE superstar and actor John Cena is doing what he can to help first responders fighting ongoing wildfires in California.
Cena honored First Responders Day by posting a video in which he revealed he would donate $500,000 to "those who risk their lives to protect us all." He mentioned that his upcoming movie, Playing With Fire, "showcases a group of people I believe are heroes: first responders" and asked Paramount Pictures to pick the charity that would receive the donation:
According to CNN, "Thousands of people are being forced to evacuate due to the 16 fires raging across California which have left millions without power."
Predicting When John Cena Will Return After Missing WWE's Monster 2 Weeks
Oct 20, 2019
BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 14: John Cena attends Paramount Pictures' Beijing press conference for 'Bumblebee' on December 14, 2018 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Yanshan Zhang/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
WWE has had a big couple of weeks, with SmackDown's debut on Fox, the draft, NXT's bow on USA Network and Hell in a Cell. All of this, in addition to the introduction of All Elite Wrestling Dynamite, makes it an exciting time to be a fan.
Brock Lesnar is back in the title scene after winning the WWE Championship from Kofi Kingston on October 4, Cain Velasquez and Tyson Fury are set for matches at Crown Jewel on October 31 and WWE is testing the waters with more mature content.
A lot has been happening, but one man who has been absent from WWE television for several months is John Cena. His most recent appearance was on the July 22 episode of Raw, when he had a rap battle with The Usos.
The Leader of the Cenation has been transitioning to a part-time role for the past few years as he expands his acting career with movies like Bumblebee, the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel and the untitled ninth movie in the Fast and Furious series.
Even though some fans still boo Cena when he comes out because that has become something of a tradition in the same way people chant "You suck" at Kurt Angle, many members of the WWE Universe enjoy when he comes back for a quick match or a segment.
Remember when he made a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 35 with his Dr. of Thuganomics gimmick? The crowd exploded with cheers as he came out to confront Elias.
It might be a little while before we see him have a real feud again since he is busy acting, but that doesn't mean he can't pop in for an occasional fight. Let's look at some of the most likely times Cena could return to WWE.
Survivor Series
The next PPV after Crown Jewel is Survivor Series on November 24. If this event ends up having more than one standard elimination match, Cena would be a great surprise participant for one of the teams.
Survivor Series is one of WWE's longest-running yearly events. It began back in 1987 and has featured numerous fun team-ups over the years.
The last time Cena participated in a traditional elimination match was at Survivor Series 2014, when his team defeated Seth Rollins' crew. It would be great if they ended up on the same side this time.
The Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble match is one bout wherein fans are pretty much guaranteed to see a couple of surprise guests. Legends, former Superstars, celebrities and stars who have been on the sidelines with injuries are just some of the people who tend to show up.
Cena famously won the 2008 Royal Rumble after being out of action for several months with a torn pectoral muscle. He entered the match at No. 30 and won by eliminating Triple H.
The 2020 Royal Rumble is set for January 26. If Cena has an opening in his schedule, he could easily be a surprise entrant who eliminates a few people before a young Superstar makes a name for himself by eliminating the 16-time world champion.
It would be a fun way to use him without needing him to be there for several weeks to build up a storyline.
WrestleMania 36
WrestleMania is always the biggest pay-per-view of the year, and WWE usually tries to bring in as many big names as it can for the event.
The Undertaker is still a fixture most years, and Lesnar has wrestled at every 'Mania since 2013. If there were ever a time for another special appearance by Cena, it would be at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Like his appearance at this year's show, Cena might not wrestle. He could just show up, hit someone with an AA and leave. Or WWE could use him as a host, similar to The Rock at WrestleMania XXVII. He is great at hyping up the crowd, and he can always get physical if need be.
There are a lot of ways to use Cena other than wrestling. He could even be a commentator because he has knowledge of the industry and the personality to keep things interesting.
When is the Right Time?
If Cena is going to make an appearance at all in the next six months, these are the three most likely events where it could take place.
It would be fun to see him at Survivor Series, but he is more likely to show up at the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 36 because people expect WWE to go all out at those shows.
Who knows? Maybe WWE will have him win the Royal Rumble and go on to challenge the WWE champion at WrestleMania to give him title No. 17 so he can break Ric Flair's record. Anything is possible in an industry that once featured Robocop saving Sting in WCW and Hector Guerrero hatching out of a giant egg in a turkey costume.
John Cena's WWE SmackDown Status, Randy Orton on AEW, Braun Strowman's Contract
Oct 4, 2019
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Cena Comments on SmackDown's Fox Debut
John Cena took to Twitter on Friday to wish WWE good luck ahead of SmackDown's Fox debut on Friday night:
Good luck to my @WWE family for the 1st episode of #SmackDown on @FOXTV. I’ve learned a lot about family here at #Fast9 and while I’ll be enjoying from afar, I’m glad #FastAndFurious family icon @TheRock gets to FINALLY return home to electrify!
There had been some speculation that Cena would appear on the show given his importance to the history of SmackDown and WWE as a whole, but Cena noted that since he is on the set of Fast & Furious 9, he won't be at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Cena did tip his cap to former rival Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who is scheduled to appear on SmackDown, marking his first live WWE appearance since WrestleMania 32 in 2016.
With Cena becoming a bigger acting star in Hollywood by the day, his WWE appearances have become far more scarce over the past year. His last appearance was at Raw Reunion in July, and before that, he went back to his Basic Thuganomics character at WrestleMania in April and interrupted Elias' concert.
WWE doesn't necessarily need Cena for Friday's show since The Rock, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and many other legends are already scheduled to appear.
If Cena is creating a smokescreen designed to allow for a surprise appearance on the 20th-anniversary edition of SmackDown, though, it could make for a memorable moment that would help WWE build some momentum as a go-to brand on Fox.
Orton Praises AEW
Following Wednesday's successful debut of AEW Dynamite on TNT, WWE Superstar Randy Orton had some good things to say about WWE's chief competition.
According to WrestlingInc.com's Raj Giri, Orton streamed Call of Duty on Twitch on Thursday night and got to talking about AEW: "Speaking of Vince, that AEW was f---ing cool, huh? Did you watch that show last night? Oh my God! I'll tell you what. It's that big match feel, the big show feel."
Orton specifically had good things to say about Sammy Guevara, who pushed Cody to the limit in AEW Dynamite's first-ever match: "Cody and Sammy Guevara, that kid can do some s--t. I'd love to work with that kid. They had a great match. I thought opening the show with that match was a good idea and well received."
Prior to Thursday, WWE had largely been quiet with regard to AEW. That was until it released a statement congratulating AEW on a strong premiere episode: "Congratulations to AEW on a successful premiere. The real winners of last night's head-to-head telecasts of NXT on USA Network and AEW on TNT are the fans, who can expect Wednesday nights to be a competitive and wild ride as this is a marathon, not a one-night sprint."
The debut episode of AEW Dynamite, which went head to head against NXT on USA Network, drew 1.4 million viewers as opposed to 891,000 for NXT.
AEW had the advantage in terms of piquing fans' interest with a brand new show, so the pressure will be on moving forward in terms of maintaining and building on the rating.
Regardless of whether the ratings improve, it is clear that many within the business are taking notice, including those in WWE.
Tune into TNT on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET to catch all the action of All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite.
Backstage News on Strowman's Contract
After reports that Braun Strowman signed a new contract with WWE emerged in July, specifics regarding the deal surfaced this week.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), Strowman signed a four-year contract worth $1.2 million per year. Meltzer added that it is above the high-end downside number of $1 million that WWE usually offers.
While Strowman has yet to hold a singles title in WWE, he has been one of the company's top stars over the past couple of years as evidenced by his feuds with Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins.
Most recently, The Monster Among Men faced Rollins in the main event of Clash of Champions for the Universal Championship, but he fell short.
Strowman is seemingly between programs, but with the WWE draft coming up, he figures to be a high pick who will be one of the faces of either Raw or SmackDown.
While it can be argued that Strowman still has a long way to go as a performer in the ring and on the mic, he is a big-time attraction due to his size and strength, and WWE will almost certainly continue to put him in important spots.
Listen toRing Rust Radiofor all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below(warning: some languageNSFW).
It's an appropriate setting for his return since SmackDown's name originated from one of his catchphrases.
The Rock's acting commitments have left him unable to participate in WWE in any meaningful capacity in recent years, but he has made the occasional appearance now and again since bringing his full-time wrestling career to an end.
Following his loss to John Cena at WrestleMania 29, The Rock helped open WrestleMania XXX with Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin, which represented quite a collection of legends in one ring.
The next year, The People's Champion teamed up with Ronda Rousey to take down Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a promo segment. The Rock handled the mic work, while Rousey was the muscle. That interaction ultimately helped set up Rousey's tag team match with Kurt Angle against Triple H and McMahon at WrestleMania 34.
The Rock stepped between the WWE ropes—albeit briefly—at WrestleMania 32. He quickly defeated Erick Rowan before incurring the wrath of the entire Wyatt Family. Cena arrived to help even the odds a little more.
Despite long ago making a full-time transition to acting, The Rock has maintained his passion for wrestling. During the premiere for his film Skyscraper last July, he left the door open for a return to WWE.
The Rock turned 47 in May, and he's one of the highest-paid actors in the world. Wrestling fans can almost certainly rule out any sort of extended run—even something along the lines of his comeback building up to WrestleMania 29—for The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.
Still, The Rock is one of the biggest stars in WWE history and seeing him in the ring will bring back a flood of memories.
How to Properly Book 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt's Feud vs. Seth Rollins
Sep 29, 2019
There is one proper way to book "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell on October 6: as a complete squash in which Rollins drops the universal championship to Wyatt. Anything less would severely damage the past six months of effort Wyatt has placed into his character.
A squash is typically a match involving a jobber wherein one wrestler is hopelessly outmatched by his opponent; done properly, a squash gets the winner over as an unstoppable, unbeatable force. A debuting monster heel will squash an adversary with ease before taking on a credible threat to his dominance.
Squashing is the quickest way to get a wrestler over. But WWE rarely books a squash on the upper card because of how damaging, reputation-wise, it can be for the loser. Even if the squash is sold as a fluke that only happened under extenuating circumstances, it's an uphill battle to convince the audience of that. WWE runs a risk of telling the audience it didn't see what it saw.
But there is a way that a squash can work narratively in a main event spot. For example, John Cena lost to Brock Lesnar in a squash at SummerSlam 2014 after getting suplexed 16 times. But he did not suffer any damage to his reputation because he was such a respected and established performer. The shock of his loss dominated the post-match conversation. Ironically, the rarity of the loss forced commentators to focus on Cena's accomplishments.
Lesnar's real-life legitimacy also protected Cena. As a Division I athlete and a former UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar is as real as professional wrestling gets. The squash is rendered less embarrassing because Lesnar could squash anyone in the locker room; nobody can gloat or bury the losing wrestler without indirectly burying themselves.
For a brief, flickering moment, Bray Wyatt is over as a legitimate, dangerous threat. It took him a little more than three minutes to defeat Finn Balor at SummerSlam, where his arsenal of moves included a realistic neck snap. Wyatt has been kept off television, which adds to his mystique and ensures that he remains fresh.
But as with every wrestler, the shock will wear off. Wyatt will never be as a frightening as he is right now. And Rollins, meanwhile, can take a lopsided loss. He is the newest member of an elite group of wrestlers who beat Brock Lesnar cleanly with no interference or cheating necessary.
Between now and Hell in a Cell, Rollins should lose the psychological war against Wyatt; we should get the impression that he lost the match before he even stepped into the ring. And following the match, Rollins can disappear for a while and rebuild his confidence until he finally conquers Wyatt in a high-profile match (perhaps at WrestleMania).
Wyatt needs to remain elusive and otherworldly. A back and forth would only serve to humanize him. And any offense Rollins gets in will make his comeback, months from now, much less impressive.
Cody Rhodes Praises Vince McMahon, John Cena and Randy Orton Ahead of AEW on TNT
Sep 25, 2019
AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes released a statement Tuesday ahead of next week's AEW Dynamite debut on TNT, and he mentioned some of those he learned from during his time in WWE:
Cody specifically made note of what 16-time world champion John Cena taught him about appealing to the wrestling fanbase:
"I would ask you this one favor as we move forward: speak to me. John Cena once told me that when the fans clap their hands or stomp their feet or give a visceral indicator that they want something, you need to DO something. Otherwise, they will stop making noise. Please share your feedback with me; I want all of it. Good, bad, ugly. What we did right, what we did wrong, and why. Let me help create and tailor a product for you."
Additionally, Rhodes listed some of the people who taught him most over the years, including WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and current WWE Superstar Randy Orton, as well as his late father, Dusty Rhodes:
"I've had the best education one could ever receive for this job. A pro since age 15. Eleven years under the learning tree of such minds as Randy Orton, Vince McMahon, Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko and countless other legends. And, of course, the three decades I spent talking wrestling every day with The American Dream himself."
Now 34, Cody broke into the wrestling business in 2006 as a WWE developmental signing. He quickly found his way to the main roster in 2007 and remained with the company until 2016.
Arguably Cody's greatest success in WWE came as part of the Legacy stable alongside Orton and Ted DiBiase Jr. There, he had the opportunity to face many of the top wrestlers in the history of the business, including Cena, Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
Cody has grown significantly as an individual in the wrestling business since departing WWE, but he continues to keep an eye on the company he grew up in: "I know what's on the other side of the hill. A billion-dollar publicly traded behemoth with 70 years of experience and an expansive network of divisions and subsidiaries, which has ultimately become a monopoly in wrestling."
When AEW goes head to head with WWE's NXT for the first time Oct. 2 from 8 p.m. ET until 10 p.m. ET, Cody will have a significant hand in whether AEW sinks or swims—from both a behind-the-scenes and on-camera perspective.
Cody is set to face Sammy Guevara in the first match in AEW Dynamite history, and he will then go on to face Chris Jericho for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear in November.
While it's impossible to say whether AEW will be the type of success most wrestling fans are hoping for, there's no question Cody is prepared to lead the way based on the tutelage he has received over the years.
Listen toRing Rust Radiofor all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below(warning: some languageNSFW).
