WWE Wrestlemania

As WrestleMania 35 approaches on April 7, the WWE rumor mill has been working overtime, especially when it comes to reports of people being unhappy.

TJP and Hideo Itami were released after requesting to be let out of their contracts and Dean Ambrose is set to depart WWE after the upcoming Show of Shows, but there are also people making headlines for good reasons during the Road to WrestleMania. 

Charlotte Defeats Asuka on SmackDown

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, Vince McMahon made the decision to have Charlotte Flair win the SmackDown Women's Championship on the day of the match.

Allegedly, the WWE chairman felt the original plan to crown a No. 1 contender in a Fatal 4-Way with Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Carmella and Naomi wasn't going to yield a match worthy of WrestleMania.

The main event featuring Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte now features two women's champions, but we will have to wait to find out if both belts will be on the line.

All four women and Asuka took to social media on Tuesday to express their unhappiness with having their match canceled and potentially losing a women's division match at the pay-per-view. 

Shinsuke Nakamura 

On the same episode of WOR (h/t Felix Upton of RingsideNews.com), Meltzer also discussed how Shinsuke Nakamura might be added to the list of unhappy Superstars: "He's not doing anything. He's checked out. His family likes Florida. He's out there to surf."

This is sad news, especially since it has only been a year since The King of Strong Style faced AJ Styles for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 34 after winning the 2018 Royal Rumble.

When he first arrived on the scene in NXT, Nakamura was immediately pushed to the top. He became a two-time NXT champion and headlined multiple TakeOver events with elaborate entrances.

These days, the Japanese Superstar is in a random tag team with Rusev. He went from being in one of the main events of last year's 'Mania to likely being thrown into the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal just to give him something to do.

Hopefully, WWE finds something for him soon because it would be a shame if Nakamura ended up leaving the company once his contract expires.

Kurt Angle Going Out on His Own Terms

Meltzer (h/t Randall Ortman of CagesideSeats.com) also talked about how Kurt Angle has been given permission to pick his own opponents leading into WrestleMania.

The McMahon family clearly values everything the Olympian has contributed to the business, so allowing him to face some new names and old rivals is a great way to honor him.

This is why we have seen him battle young stars like Chad Gable and Apollo Crews in addition to former TNA adversaries such as Samoa Joe and AJ Styles.

Frankly, these would have all been better options than Baron Corbin for his final opponent, but The Lone Wolf makes more sense from a storytelling standpoint after everything he did to make Angle's life miserable as Raw general manager. 

The Olympic Gold Medalist and WWE Hall of Famer has earned the right to go out his way, and it's great to see WWE letting him have the freedom to give the fans a few matches he knows they want to see. 

Tuesday was a big night for the SmackDown brand as Kofi Kingston finally earned a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 35 thanks to Xavier Woods and Big E, but Charlotte Flair had an equally important win when she defeated Asuka to become the new SmackDown women's champion.

This is title No. 8 for The Queen on the main roster, which has taken her above Trish Stratus for the most women's title reigns in WWE history.

She will walk into WrestleMania with one title around her waist and her eyes set on adding the Raw Women's Championship to her resume, but this actually sets up something even bigger with Becky Lynch.

WWE announced on Raw that Lynch, Charlotte and Ronda Rousey would officially main-event WrestleMania 35 on April 7, so management's goal between now and the pay-per-view is going to be building this into the biggest match possible.

Up until recently, the 'Mania showdown has been all about Lynch and Rousey. Charlotte has done a good job playing the heel, but it felt like WWE shoehorned her in just so she had a spot on the card.

Not only does winning the SD women's title give her some momentum and bragging rights heading into the PPV, but it also opens the door for one more change to be made to the WrestleMania card.

WWE still has over a week of programming between now and The Show of Shows. During that time, there is a good chance we see The Man goad The Queen into putting her newly won belt on the line so both titles are up for grabs in the same contest.

Lynch has become one of the most popular stars in the entire company over the past six months, and WWE clearly recognizes her value judging by the rocket it strapped to her back to make this push what it is today.

It wants her to succeed because she deserves it and it's good for business, so making the main event of WrestleMania 35 as memorable as possible has been a priority during the buildup.

What's bigger than one title being on the line? Having both titleholders defend their belts in the same match so one person leaves as the undisputed women's champion.

WWE has combined titles several times in the past, with the most recent example being when Randy Orton defeated John Cena to unify the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships at Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2013.

The company has even done this with the women's division. Michelle McCool unified the women's and Divas titles at Night of Champions 2010 when she defeated Melina.

However, the most famous example happened at Vengeance 2001, when Chris Jericho defeated The Rock and Steve Austin in two separate matches to turn the WWE and WCW titles into the WWE Undisputed Championship.

Y2J still brags about this night 18 years later because it was the most notable win of his career, and WWE can give Lynch her own Jericho moment at WrestleMania by having her defeat Rousey and Charlotte to win both titles in the same match.

A lot of people have been comparing Lynch to other anti-authority figures from the past such as Steve Austin. If WWE is trying to make her the Stone Cold of the women's division, this is the perfect way to do it.

One of the things that made Austin so popular was that WWE had him talk a big game while being able to back it up every time he stepped foot into the ring. 

Lynch has been talking a big game for months. This is WWE's opportunity to have her back it up by winning both titles on the same night. It would be a perfect ending to the story we have watched unfold since SummerSlam and give her a huge boost leading into the rest of 2019. 

This might not be the most shocking way things could go down, but the most satisfying endings aren't always the ones that surprise you.

Lynch is going to leave WrestleMania as a double champion because that is the best way to capitalize on everything she has done up to this point. 

What do you think? Should WWE make the WrestleMania Triple Threat match for both women's titles?

Under two weeks until WrestleMania 35, the WWE rumor mill is churning out reports and speculation regarding some of the Superstars expected to make significant contributions to The Showcase of the Immortals.

From modern-day anti-authority rebel Becky Lynch to the measuring stick for that specific personality type "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, top stars found themselves making headlines this week for a bevy of reasons.

A New Contract for The Man

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reported Lynch has been offered a sizeable new contract, complete with pay raise, and is expected to sign it before she takes to the squared circle to battle Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in the main event of the April 7 spectacular.

She certainly has earned it.

Since turning heel at SummerSlam last August, no Superstar has been as consistently over with fans than The Man.

Throw in show-stealing performances on pay-per-view and an incredibly popular T-shirt and you have a Superstar riding a wave of momentum we have not seen since CM Punk took a microphone in hand and cut his famed pipebomb promo.

At a time when All Elite Wrestling is eyeing talent to bolster its roster and make a genuine run at competing with WWE, it makes sense that the company would reach out to Lynch well before her current deal expires to lock her up for the foreseeable future.

A pay raise is merely icing on top of the proverbial cake.

What Will John Cena Do at WrestleMania?

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Cageside Seats) reported John Cena is still slated to have a match at WrestleMania, though no one really knows what it will be.

Meltzer previously noted (h/t Cageside Seats) original plans for Cena saw him challenging Samoa Joe for the United States Championship, hence him being so regularly referenced by R-Truth on the road to the April 7 event.

Now, though, social media posts by the former franchise star of WWE suggest he may be involved in something more significant.

Digs aimed at Baron Corbin such as this one and that one have some thinking Cena will interject himself in the announced Corbin-Kurt Angle match at WrestleMania and give The Olympic Gold Medalist a proper retirement match befitting his star power.

Cena vs. Angle makes sense in that it was the Olympian who gave The Cenation Leader his first televised match in WWE, putting a young kid from West Newbury, Massachusetts, over as one of the bright young stars of the company's Ruthless Aggression Era.

Cena is a star befitting such a significant match. Though Corbin has worked hard, been a very consistent and reliable heel for WWE and is far better than he will ever likely get credit for, he seems out of place given the magnitude of the match.

Hopefully, Cena's social media hints lead to the outcome so many want and Angle can have the farewell match the 2017 Hall of Fame inductee deserves.

A Big Name Adding Star Power to WrestleMania?

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that, along with Hulk Hogan, "we are told that WWE is currently finalizing plans on other names from the past they are seeking to bring in Wrestlemania weekend as well, with Steve Austin's name floating around quite a bit."

Stone Cold has not appeared on WWE television since Raw 25 in January 2018.

A stalwart of WrestleMania events both as a performer and a special guest, Austin has done a fine job of elevating the significance of the show with his appearances over the years. The segment with The Rock and Hogan some five years ago in New Orleans stands out as one of the event's most enduring moments in the last decade.

While it remains to be seen what Austin will do, or how he can be squeezed on to a show with the ungodly number of matches it already has, do not be surprised if The Texas Rattlesnake somehow pops up to pay homage to buddy and former foe Angle.

At SmackDown Live on Tuesday, it was finally announced that Kofi Kingston will face Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35.

In order to earn the trip, the other members of New Day had to win a tag team Gauntlet match against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev, The Bar, The Usos and finally Bryan and Rowan: 

It looked as though Kingston was destined to clinch his place in the WrestleMania title match on the March 19 edition of SmackDown Live when he beat Sheamus, Cesaro, Rowan, Samoa Joe and Randy Orton in a Gauntlet match that lasted an hour.

Instead, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon added Bryan to the bout, and an exhausted Kingston was unable to pull out another win.

McMahon had told Kingston the previous week that while he didn't feel he deserved a title match against Bryan, he would grant him one if he won the Gauntlet. The Chairman went back on his word by adding the WWE champion to the bout, and that didn't sit well with the New Day man's supporters.

In addition to the bevy of Superstars who gathered backstage to watch Kingston win the Gauntlet only to get screwed over, his New Day partners, Big E and Xavier Woods, were furious over what happened.

Immediately after Kingston's disappointment, WWE posted a locker room video in which Big E and Woods suggested they should quit. Despite everything that transpired, their teammate rejected the idea.

It was far from the first time McMahon took an opportunity away from Kingston, as he previously forced the 37-year-old out of his scheduled WWE Championship match against Bryan at Fastlane. McMahon replaced him with Kevin Owens and even added Mustafa Ali to make it a Triple Threat.

Kingston was never supposed to be part of the WWE Championship scene, but he was added to the Elimination Chamber match when Ali was unable to compete because of injury. The New Day member lasted an hour in a Gauntlet match prior to the Chamber, and in the Elimination Chamber match, he and Bryan were the final two participants.

Kingston fell just short in losing to the champion at Elimination Chamber, but it was clear that he was the fans' choice to face Bryan at WrestleMania on April 7.

Even so, the WWE chairman went to great lengths to prevent it from happening. Not only did that provide shades of the Mr. McMahon character from years past, but it also was reminiscent of Bryan's own road to WrestleMania 30.

Just as Bryan eventually got his shot to become world champion then, Kingston will have that same opportunity five years later, and it has the potential to be one of the most special and memorable moments in WrestleMania history.

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 announced Tuesday that Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Jett will perform Raw Women's champion Ronda Rousey's theme song live at WrestleMania 35 on April 7.

When Rousey makes her entrance to face Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, she will do so to tune of Jett's hit song, "Bad Reputation."

Rousey has used "Bad Reputation" as her theme song since joining WWE last year and also used the song during her time in the UFC.

WWE announced Monday that Rousey, Lynch and Flair would make history by becoming the first women to close the show in the main event of WrestleMania.

Musical performances have become a staple at WrestleMania over the years, and they have oftentimes enhanced the entrances of WWE's top stars. Among the most notable ones are Motorhead performing "The Game" for Triple H at WrestleMania X-Seven and 21, and Living Colour performing "Cult of Personality" for CM Punk at WrestleMania 29.

Rousey is arguably one of the biggest crossover stars WWE has ever had, and her presence is likely a big reason why the match has been selected as the main event.

The Baddest Woman on the Planet stands to have a memorable and iconic entrance at WrestleMania 35, which will add to the already historic nature of her match against Lynch and Flair.

Provided WWE puts significant resources toward making Becky and Charlotte's entrances special as well, the live crowd and the millions watching around the world are likely to be even more invested in the history-making match than they already are.

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

Ahead of their historic main event match at WrestleMania 35 on April 7, Raw Women's champion Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair appeared on ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday to discuss the enormity of their accomplishment.

WWE announced Monday that Rousey vs. Lynch vs. Flair would become the first women's match to ever close a WrestleMania, and each Superstar offered their own unique perspective on what being part of history means to them.

Lynch talked about her long, winding journey to WWE and how she always dreamed of headlining WrestleMania regardless of how far-fetched it once seemed:

"There was a period where I left the business because I didn't think that this was possible, but there was always part of me that just felt like I had more to do and that I wanted to accomplish this dream. Even when I got signed to WWE, one of my good friends, I said to him, 'I'm going to main-event WrestleMania.' He said, 'It's good to dream, but be realistic.' And here we are."

A great deal of momentum has built to women main-eventing WrestleMania, and that possibility seemed to receive a boost last year when WWE signed Rousey on the heels of a dominant run in UFC as women's bantamweight champion.

Given her status as a crossover star and one of the greatest female athletes in recent memory, she brought instant credibility to WWE and undoubtedly heightened the chances of a women's main event. Rousey noted Tuesday that she already felt confident that they would be the headline match before it was officially announced:

"On one hand I was already expecting it and on another hand I was really happy that it was finally certain. It seemed like an abstract goal ... You know, I came into WWE just a year ago and my goal from the very beginning was I want to be part of the first-ever women's main event for WrestleMania. ... I think what's happening is really a parallel for everything that's happening culturally around the world. ... I really think this is one of those mediums where you can affect real social change and affect how women view themselves. This is the same company that had Bra and Panties matches that are now raising women to the highest pinnacle that they have in the industry."

Before Rousey's arrival, it can be argued that Flair was WWE's biggest crossover star in the women's division. As the daughter of WWE Hall of Famer "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, she gained mainstream notoriety and parlayed that into a spot in ESPN Magazine's "The Body Issue" in 2018.

The seven-time champion played a huge role in building toward women main-eventing WrestleMania, and she seemed to relish the fact that few believed it could happen in the not-too-distant past:

"Main-eventing WrestleMania is the pinnacle of the women's revolution. And even two years ago, I think most people would say, 'That's impossible.' The women from the past helped get us here and what we've created in the last few months, the momentum, now we're walking into MetLife with a capacity of 80,000 people and main-eventing WrestleMania."

On a card that features other huge matches such as Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins, Triple H vs. Batista and Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre; Rousey, Lynch and Flair are the main attractions.

Their storyline has generated the most intrigue in WWE over the past few months, so there is no denying that they earned the right to be the main event.

When 80,000 fans pack into MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on April 7 and millions more watch around the world, the vast majority will be doing so in anticipation of one of the most significant matches in the history of professional wrestling.

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

WrestleMania 35 is less than two weeks away on April 7, but there are a few WWE regulars who have yet to be announced for the event.

The Undertaker and John Cena are two people whose presence at WrestleMania is expected, so not having either Superstar booked for the show yet is surprising.

WrestleMania will also be the supposed retirement matches for both Kurt Angle and Batista when they battle Baron Corbin and Triple H, respectively.

Let's take a look at the best-case scenarios for these people and a couple of other legends at WrestleMania.

Can Anyone See John Cena?

Cena's reduced schedule means we never know when he will pop in for a quick match or an extended feud, but not having him appear at WrestleMania feels like a mistake.

Whether you love or hate him, Cena is still one of the most recognizable faces in WWE today. While a quick segment backstage would suffice, the best way he could surprise fans would be to enter and win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

This match already feels like a joke thanks to the inclusion of Michael Che and Colin Jost, so the company may as well use it as an opportunity to give the 41-year-old one more accolade to add to his resume. 

It would be a great way to get Cena on the card without taking away a full match from full-time wrestlers who worked all year to earn their spot, and it would give The Cenation Leader a chance to interact with some Superstars he might not end up in the ring with under normal circumstances.

You Can't Keep a Deadman Down

The Undertaker has only missed a couple of WrestleManias throughout his long and storied career, but we might not see him this year.

While it would be nice to see him wrestle again, The Deadman is no longer the performer he once was. At this point, the best thing he could do is make a surprise appearance during the Hall of Fame ceremony or deliver a quick promo just to hype up the crowd.

Undertaker doesn't owe this business anything. He has given his entire career to WWE, and if he is no longer capable of performing at a level he feels comfortable with, we shouldn't ask him to come back.

Besides, his entrance is the real attraction anyway. WWE can give fans what they want by having him come out, give a short speech and leave without incident. It might not be the most exciting option in the world, but it's better than having him put on a bad match. 

Making The Anvil Proud

The Hart Foundation is set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a tag team during WrestleMania weekend, but sadly, it will be a posthumous induction for Jim Neidhart.

The Anvil died on August 13, but he lives on through his daughter, Natalya. She will make her father proud when she teams up with another Hall of Famer, Beth Phoenix, to challenge for the Women's Tag Team Championships.

A great way to pay tribute to Neidhart would be for Bret Hart to accompany Natalya to the ring in classic Hart Foundation leather jackets.

The Hitman is the last living member of The Hart Foundation stable, and it would be awesome to see him represent its legacy at WrestleMania one more time. 

A Belated Birthday Present

Batista returned to WWE in shocking fashion when he attacked Ric Flair at his 70th birthday celebration on the Feb. 25 edition of Raw and challenged Triple H to a fight at WrestleMania.

The Animal will get his wish when he faces The Game in a No Holds Barred match. There is a good chance The Nature Boy will also have some kind of impact on the outcome.

This feud is all about Batista and Triple H, but it is also concerns their time in Evolution with Flair and Randy Orton. The Viper is busy with AJ Styles, so that just leaves Naitch to provide The King of Kings with some backup.

This will supposedly be Big Dave's final match, but since Triple H put his career on the line, the Guardians of the Galaxy actor will probably come up short against the man who has never defeated him in a one-on-one encounter.

Triple H can keep his career, Flair can get some revenge, and Batista can retire without having to lose clean at the biggest event of the year.

Triple H raised the stakes for his match against Batista at WrestleMania 35.

The Game delivered a message to his opponent Monday night on Raw, saying he'll retire if he loses on April 7 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Although WWE hasn't explicitly billed this as a retirement match, Batista made a reference to that extent when he demanded Triple H grant him an opportunity to face off at The Showcase of the Immortals. The former world champion said he wanted "one last match, to end my career on my terms." He then said he'd end Triple H's career.

Of course, the problem with adding a retirement stipulation here is that one star is effectively retired already and the other only wrestles part time.

Batista hasn't stepped inside a WWE ring since 2014 and is focused on his acting career. Triple H makes the sporadic appearance on a major show here and there, but he isn't a weekly fixture on Raw from a performance perspective.

But all of the added conditions for the match will take a back seat when the bell rings at WrestleMania and fans see Batista and Triple H rekindle their rivalry.