#WWE Superstars released 2021

[womenwwe]

Xia Li Released By WWE:

Xia Li has been released by WWE. The news broke following Xia issuing a statement on her social media accounts, posting:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Xia lee (@xialiwwe)

It has been over seven years since I joined WWE, and as the first female Chinese superstar, I feel incredibly proud! I am sincerely grateful to @wwe and @tripleh for welcoming me into this big family. During this valuable time, I have not only grown tremendously but also learned countless invaluable experiences. Thank you for your trust and the opportunities you have given me to break barriers and set an example.

A special thank you to all the coaches, colleagues, and staff who have helped me along the way. Your support and assistance have made me feel at home in a foreign land.

I also want to thank all the WWE fans! Your cheers not only motivate me but also make me feel endless love and support. Your backing is my strength.

This journey with WWE has been wonderful, and I sincerely thank everyone who has been a part of it. This is not the end but a new beginning! Let’s embrace more exciting moments together!

Xia Li first joined WWE in 2017 and competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. She also competed in the second Mae Young Classic and joined NXT in 2019. She moved to SmackDown in 2021.

WWE have also released Veer Mahan, Sanga, Jinder Mahal and Xyon Quinn ahead on the 2024 WWE draft.

[the-blue-brand-wrestling-blog]

The Blue Brand Wrestling Blog #4 - Drew McIntyre

The Blue Brand Wrestling Blog

THEBLUEBRANDWRESTLINGBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM

The Blue Brand Wrestling Blog #4

Drew McIntyre

Hey there guys & girls,

I’m Andy Mac, AKA The Blue Brand owner and creator (@The_Blue_Brand) on X / Twitter. I thought I would delve into the world of blog writing and what better thing to write about than my favourite pastime Professional Wrestling.

Today I thought I’d discuss WWE Superstar, Scotland & the UK’s own Drew McIntyre. His WWE accomplishments include –

WWE Championship (2 times)

WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)

NXT Championship (1 time)

WWE (Raw) Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Cody Rhodes (1) and Dolph Ziggler (1)

31st Triple Crown Champion

Men's Royal Rumble (2020)

No doubt this list of WWE achievements is impressive, but these obviously don’t include his many titles won on the independent scene.

I had the urge to write about McIntyre after seeing his recent performances on WWE Raw and interactions with Riddle and Xavier Woods. Finally, after what feels like quite a long time it feels like he has some direction and that we’re moving towards a heel turn. A heel turn in my opinion is badly needed to refresh his character, not that I think his character becoming stale has anything to do with the man himself.

WWE needs to take some responsibility for this and well of course, the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 didn’t help his cause either.

McIntyre returned to the company and did a good job on NXT in 2017, winning the title there before moving to the main roster and teaming up with Dolph Ziggler (I quite liked this alliance). So here we are, heading towards the 2020 Royal Rumble, Drew is starting to get cheers, doing the countdown to the claymore kick which the crowd instantly gets behind. He’s got the look; he can talk, and he can undoubtedly work. He wins what is arguably one of the best Royal Rumble matches of recent times (Brock tore through the roster, Edge returned etc…)

So, you would naturally think that Drew McIntyre is heading towards WrestleMania against Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in the main event. Finally, he’s going to fulfil his destiny as the ‘chosen one’ and be the man in front of a huge WrestleMania crowd…. Then covid happens and ruins the entire thing. He ends up still winning the title, but he wins his first long awaited WWE Championship against Brock at WrestleMania in the WWE Performance Centre in front of nobody. I remember watching the documentary WWE produced around Drew, he was clearly disappointed about this, not that it was anyone else’s fault, and nothing could be done to change what happened at the time.

After holding the title during the pandemic era, defending it within the WWE Performance Centre and the WWE Thunderdome (Losing it once to Randy Orton before winning it back not long after) covid moved on, the world moved forward, but Drew McIntyre felt like somewhat of an afterthought. Post pandemic on WWE Raw, the show he was drafted to, Bobby Lashley, Big E and then Brock Lesnar were the title holders before Roman Reigns unified the WWE & Universal Championships. Meanwhile Drew drifted, still over as a babyface but it felt like his time to be ‘the man’ had been and gone whilst nobody was allowed in person to come and watch it all unfold.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed his challenge against Roman Reigns at Clash at the Castle 2022 and his feud with Sheamus and Gunther for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but apart from that it feels like he’s been treading water for quite some time. The two above feuds took place after he was drafted to SmackDown, but apart from these two feuds it didn’t feel like much else happened for McIntyre.

I’ve been a huge fan of Drew McIntyre since he debuted on SmackDown when Vince McMahon announced him as the chosen one. When he went on to win the Intercontinental Championship, join 3MB and get released, I kept an eye on him and enjoyed his work with TNA. When he eventually made his way back to WWE and looked like he was finally going to be treated as the star that he is I was elated.

If the news and rumours are true and he is about to turn heel then I couldn’t be more excited. It will be exactly the shot of adrenaline his character needs. Make him driven to be relevant again at the top of WWE’s roster, upset at his glory and crowning moments being in front of nobody and how he feels forgotten and betrayed by the company and fans. The story is there, it’s easy. Drop the Scottish gimmick with the kilt, the bagpipe music (Any excuse to use the ‘Broken Dreams’ entrance song again!) and make Drew McIntyre into a monster heel!

Anyway, I’ll stop rambling on now. Thanks for checking this fourth blog out. I’m a self-confessed WWE fanboy, always have been since I started watching WWE as a child. However, as you can hopefully and probably tell I’m trying to broaden by Professional Wrestling palate and horizons. If there is anything else you can recommend, I’m open to suggestions. I’m taking a break from my 9-5 office job at the moment and trying to fill my time!

Please leave feedback, if it’s constructive then I’ll always appreciate it. I’m always happy to learn and to become better. Please keep it respectful though, everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Take it easy guys,

Andy

[cavenewstimes]

Nia Jax Thinks Rhea Ripley Needs To Get Knocked Down A Couple Pegs

Feedzy Read More Nia Jax was a formidable presence among female WWE Superstars, as she towered over her competition. She was released by WWE back in 2021 and largely stayed away from the … 

[wrestlingclubelite]

An ex-WWE Superstar is working out in the ring for a possible comeback.

When a wrestler leaves WWE, they might pursue a variety of opportunities, including  joining another organization, working the independent scene, or taking a break from the sport. Nia Jax, whose real name is Lina Fanene, took a break from the wrestling business. Due to budget cuts, WWE released Jax in 2021 along with a number of other stars, only to bring them all back. She made a one-time…

[wweallresultspage]

Bryan Danielson Reveals That Vince McMahon Once Asked Him If AEW Does Anything Better Than WWE. #AEW #WWE

Bloomberg recently released a story on the birth of AEW and how they have risen to prominence in the pro-wrestling circuit over the last four years.

One of the talents that were interviewed was top company superstar Bryan Danielson, who revealed an interesting question he was asked by Vince McMahon in 2020 when he was still competing in WWE as Daniel Bryan. The American Dragon says that McMahon wondered if AEW did anything better than WWE, a question that sent Danielson on a deep dive of the rival promotion.

Here is the excerpt from Bloomberg:

Bryan Danielson, one of WWE’s top stars, says that in early 2020 McMahon called him and asked a question that shocked the wrestler: “Do you see anything that AEW’s doing better than us?” Danielson, at home on paternity leave, spent the next two weeks watching every morsel of AEW programming and came to a conclusion: AEW committed more time to and placed more value on the craft of fighting in the ring. WWE’s shows were often marked by long segments of characters on the microphone and short matches. “It feels like you’re watching a wrestling show without any wrestling,” Danielson told McMahon.

Danielson would continue to wrestle for WWE through 2021, but would eventually jump ship and join AEW later that year. He made his official debut at ALL OUT 2021, and wrestled his first matchup against Kenny Omega at the 2021 Grand Slam Dynamite.

Source: WrestlingHeadlines.

[allsportsnews]

Nia Jax responds to heartfelt message from WWE Universe

Nia Jax responds to heartfelt message from WWE Universe

Former WWE Superstar Nia Jax has reacted to a heartwarming message from wrestling fans. Nia Jax was released by the company in November 2021. She had signed in 2014 and spent seven years with the promotion before she was let go. Jax captured the RAW Women’s Championship once in her career. She is also a two-time Women’s Tag Team Champion, with both reigns occurring alongside Shayna Baszler. Jax…

[wwelivetv]

"Internal Error" Caused WWE SmackDown Superstars to Miss Dark Match

“Internal Error” Caused WWE SmackDown Superstars to Miss Dark Match

WWE Superstar Scarlett was close to having her first match in over a year for the company this week, before being pulled from the SmackDown post-show dark match. Scarlett was released from WWE in November 2021 along with her husband Karrion Kross but both returned in August of this year. Since then, Kross has been prominently featured on TV but Scarlett is yet to have a televised match in a WWE…

[melbournenewsvine]

G4 TV Shuts Down Two Years After Comcast Tried to Revive Gaming Network

G4 is shutting down — again. Comcast Spectacor, the cable and entertainment giant’s sports and esports division, told G4 TV employees Sunday that the gaming network was shutting down effective immediately. The decision has resulted in 45 staff members of G4 TV losing their jobs. In a memo, obtained by Variety, Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dave Scott cited low viewership and said the network had not achieved “sustainable financial results.” “Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results,” Scott wrote. “This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately.” Comcast Spectacor in July 2020 said it would reboot G4 TV, which NBCUniversal shut down in 2013 (after the network first launched in 2002). Russell Arons, the former Warner Bros., Machinima, EA and Mattel exec who joined G4 as president in September 2021, left the company two months ago. The content studio and network officially returned to linear television on Nov. 16, 2021, after more than a year of the group releasing content online to test show new concepts. At launch, G4 TV was available Comcast’s Xfinity TV, Verizon Fios, Cox Communications and internet streaming service Philo. The network’s programming slate brought back fan-favorite legacy G4 shows like “Attack of the Show!” and “Xplay.” In addition to Arons, Comcast Spectacor had hired two G4 alums: Brian Terwilliger, most recently at WWE and former producer for G4’s “Attack of the Show!”, joined as VP of programming and creative strategy. Blair Herter, who once worked on both “X-Play” and “Attack of the Show!”, had come on board as Comcast Spectacor’s VP of content partnerships and brand development. G4 had established its own broadcast studio in Burbank, Calif., outfitted for professional esports gameplay. The roster of talent for the short-lived network include returning G4 hosts Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler; esports personalities Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez (host of NBC’s “The Titan Games”), Ovilee May and Froskurinn; WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (aka Austin Creed); YouTube personalities Kassem G, Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil and Gina Darling; Twitch streamers Fiona Nova and Will Neff; livestreamer CodeMiko; and a “degenerate rat-puppet” named Ratty. G4’s shutdown was first reported by Deadline. Read Scott’s Sunday email to G4 staffers: October 16, 2022 Team: As you know, G4 was re-introduced last year to tap into the popularity of gaming. We invested to create the new G4 as an online and TV destination for fans to be entertained, be inspired, and connect with gaming content. Over the past several months, we worked hard to generate that interest in G4, but viewership is low and the network has not achieved sustainable financial results. This is certainly not what we hoped for, and, as a result, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue G4’s operations, effective immediately. I know this is disappointing news, and I’m disappointed, too. I want to thank you and everyone on the G4 team for the hard work and commitment to the network. Our human resources team is reaching out to you to provide you with support, discuss other opportunities that may be available, and answer any questions you may have. Thank you again for all of your hard work for G4. Sincerely, Dave Scott Chairman and CEO Comcast Spectacor Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[policebanana]

Wwe 2k15 pc game free. download full. version

#Wwe 2k15 pc game freeload full version series#

The game has three official editions: the " nWo 4-Life" edition, the "Deluxe" edition, and the "Standard" edition. Rey Mysterio was announced as the main cover star for the Deluxe and Standard editions. On January 20, 2022, an official trailer for the game was released alongside the official release date of March 11, 2022. The baseline soundtrack includes songs from artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD, Bert McCracken, Wu-Tang Clan, KennyHoopla, Motörhead, Poppy, Royal Blood, Bring Me The Horizon, The Weeknd, Turnstile, Asking Alexandria, and Bad Bunny. On February 23, 2022, rapper Machine Gun Kelly was announced as the official executive producer, accompanied by a short trailer which involved Kelly and WWE legend The Undertaker. Raw 2008, and that the game would feature redesigned gameplay controls.

#Wwe 2k15 pc game freeload full version series#

In the trailer, it was revealed that GM Mode (called MyGM) would be making a return to the series for the first time since 2007's WWE SmackDown vs. On November 18, 2021, a "Hit List" trailer was released, highlighting ten specific features emphasizing the game's tagline. The second teaser trailer aired during SummerSlam in August 2021, announcing a release date of March 2022. ĭuring the July 23, 2021, episode of SmackDown, commentator Michael Cole revealed that WWE 2K22 would feature a rebuilt game engine and smoother controls this was later confirmed by sources close to 2K. The announcement came nearly a year after 2K Sports canceled a planned WWE 2K21 title. The game was officially announced after a teaser trailer, featuring Cesaro and Rey Mysterio, aired during WrestleMania 37 in April 2021, with a "Hit Different" tagline. Development Īfter WWE 2K20 received a negative reception from critics and fans, WWE 2K franchise executive producer Patrick Gilmore promised that the title would rely more on the quality of the game. The wrestler with the most characters is Rey Mysterio, having 9 variations, including two attired from his WCW career. The roster contained the largest roster in any WWE game to date. Custom images can also be used in character select screens, which allowing the player to put their own photo(s) on screen. Ĭommunity creations in the creation suite have cross-platform support for users who are signed in to a verified 2K account. Players can book wrestling shows in high school gyms and on primetime television, draft superstars, manage contracts, and control costs, while trying to create the premier WWE brand. Players can choose between Sonya Deville, Adam Pearce, William Regal, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, or a custom character to take control of one of WWE's four brands: Raw, SmackDown, NXT, or NXT UK. MyGM, formerly known as GM Mode, returned to the series for the first time since 2007's WWE SmackDown vs. Other new features include playing exclusively as a single superstar, focusing only on their matches and storylines. Universe mode returned with several updates, including the ability to change camera angles while spectating matches. MyFACTION features player cards from throughout WWE's history. In it, players are able to build a wrestling stable by collecting, managing, and upgrading WWE Superstars with regular updates and weekly events. The game also features a new mode called MyFACTION. At IGN Fan Fest 2022, a gameplay of the match between Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam 2009 featured a transition method between in game to real time action, using both in-game and archived audio, unlike in previous games. By progressing through, players are able to unlock new characters, attires, and arenas. The 2K Showcase mode incorporated new features and updates. ĢK Showcase (now being called as "Showcase" in-game) returned, featuring cover superstar Rey Mysterio, allowing players to play through the biggest moments of his WWE career. Using created superstars, players can form alliances, make enemies, and branch into subplots based upon the players choices. WWE 2K's M圜areer mode was rebranded as MyRISE and focused on separate stories for both male and female superstars.

[harpianews]

WWE releases 8 more Superstars, including John Morrison, Maverick; John Cena's reaction

WWE releases 8 more Superstars, including John Morrison, Maverick; John Cena’s reaction

WWE announced the release of nine more Superstars Friday morning in another round of budget cuts. Wrestling Inc. According to John Laurinitis, WWE Head of Talent Relations sent an email that stated that John Morrison, Tegan Knox, Drake Maverick, Hit Row (Top Doll, Isaiah “Swarve” Scott and Ashante “Thi” Adonis), Shane Thorne, and Jackson Riker has all been relieved of his duties. This is the…

[vibezzonerrythang]

Sending positive energy and love to Jeff Hardy and the Hardy Family. News broke today that WWE has released Jeff Hardy. This comes after the incident that happened at a live show with Hardy asked to leave the match and show. No words has been solidified on the situation but speculation of a drug relapse has been circling. There’s no doubt that Jeff Hardy is a relatable person. Being vulnerable and letting people see him at his worse.

Addiction is a lifelong battle and I’m not going to put this on Jeff or WWE. I just want Jeff to be healthy and his mental and spirit to be even stronger. I love you, Jeff. We love you, Jeff! ❤️❤️❤️

[dalekofchaos]

Three years ago today, the McMahons took back control of Monday Night Raw, blamed Baron Corbin for their falling ratings and promised to give us more of what we want and less of what we don't.

This aged like milk

So what have they given us what we wanted in 2021?

Releasing talent despite having RECORD PROFITS. What’s the excuse? “BUDGET CUTS PAL” They killed the potentials of Keith Lee(HOW DO YOU FUCK UP KEITH FUCKING LEE?????) Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Franky Monet, John Morrison, The IIconics, Ruby Riott, BRAY FUCKING WYATT, Chelsea Green, Tegan Nox, and I can go on. The bottom line is they have released the talent they countlessly squandered and instead of finding something to do, they fired them. And if releasing talent wasn’t a bad thing, they use said releases in storylines in incredible bad taste. 

Wasting Rhea Ripley. Rhea Ripley, a white hot favorite from NXT finally goes to the main roster and wins the Raw Women’s Champion only to lose to Charlotte AGAIN(#LOLCHARLOTTEWINS) and not only that, Rhea has been demoted to the dying women’s tag division. Need I remind you RHEA NEVER GOT HER FUCKING WIN BACK FROM CHARLOTTE. Wasn’t the fucking point of going to the main roster and feuding with Charlotte meant to mean she was going to get her win back? Oh and now she loses to Zelina in 30 seconds. Like for fuck’s sake, this is a load of whoreshit. 

Squashing Bianca. Bianca Belair made history with Sasha at Wrestlemania. She killed it as Smackdown Women’s Champion, so of course Becky Lynch squashes Bianca in 26 seconds.(#LOLSUPERBECKY) Oh not only that, but NOT ONCE did Bianca ever get her win back. Becky beat her like 5 times and now Becky is demoted to working in a feud that makes no sense, the only good thing is Piper Niven is getting to show everyone what she can do(I refuse to call her what they call her) like it’s hard not to see her out of the title picture as a demotion. Picture this. An over black woman finally gets her shot at Wrestlemania and works with another iconic black woman champion in the main event. Two black women made history. Bianca worked her ass off to get where she got and they took it away from her the minute Becky was medically clear to return. And now Bianca’s spot was taken from her by another white woman. All that hard work for nothing. Not taking anything away from Liv, but you gotta admit it’s really tone deaf that after all that hard work Bianca had to get where she gets, she loses it in 26 seconds and I get the feeling it will be a long time before Bianca gets it all back.

Breaking up The Hurt Business and then bringing them back as jobbers. The Hurt Business was legit the most over faction in recent years and of course because Vince is Vince, he breaks them up. Then during Survivor Series season they bring them back together, only to have Shelton and Cedric presented as jobbers. 

The disaster gimmick that is Nikki Ash. We loved Nikki Cross her her Sanity Crazy Sister character from NXT. We slightly liked her when she was tagging with Alexa. But honestly? Nikki Ash isn’t working and even WWE knows it isn’t working. I feel a heel turn coming, but too little too late.

Whatever the fuck is going on with Toni Storm and Charlotte. A feud over pie. FUCKING PIE. This has Johnny Ace’s bullshit ALL OVER IT. This is Divas era garbage. Toni Storm SHOULD be presented as a credible challenger to Charlotte’s title. Toni Storm SHOULD be treated like the next generation of superstars for the roster. But instead they keep treating her like a loser and an idiot. 

Whatever the fuck is going on with Naomi and Sonya. To this day I STILL don’t know or understand why the fuck Sonya hates Naomi. Naomi has been treated like dogshit since she came back. Naomi has never once gotten to get revenge against Sonya. I thought this was all leading to Naomi joining The Bloodline and The Bloodline letting Naomi get her hands on Sonya....THIS NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED AND NAOMI STILL  hasn’t gotten her hands on Sonya. Also why is Sonya in complete Karen mode? I half expect Sonya to tell Naomi “Naomi, women like you don’t get to become Women’s Champion” It’s great that Xia Li came out to help Naomi, but what would’ve been great is for Naomi to actually lay her hands on Sonya.

Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce keep flip flopping as WWE officials. Are they face or heels? Are they neutral? Pearce makes stupid heel moves and Sonya Deville is quite literally being a racist cornering and yelling at black women.

Killing NXT. Because Vince is petty and because HHH lost the Wednesday night wars, NXT was killed and replaced with NXT 2.0. I feel like NXT 2.0 is the modern day Black Saturday. Black Saturday refers to Saturday, July 14, 1984, the day when Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) took over the time slot on Superstation WTBS that had been home to Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) and its flagship weekly program, World Championship Wrestling, for 12 years. McMahon's purchase led to a longstanding rivalry between himself and WTBS owner Ted Turner, who later bought GCW's successor Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) and formed his own company under the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) name. A lot of fans of GCW did NOT like this. This took away their more serious southern, athletic and serious wrestling or as they dubbed it “Gordon Solie” wrestling and replaced it with McMahon’s cartoonish, gimmicky and silly alternative. I feel the same has happened with NXT. HHH’s NXT was like the old days of NWA wrestling, it had a more focus on wrestling, a dark and gritty feel and it felt like what the WWE needed to evolve into. When NXT 2.0 came around. It made everything more bright and colorful(quite literally lol) more gimmicks, cartoony, phony and fake and it just feels like Vince taking NXT in the back of the barn and shooting it and replacing a prized horse with a jackass. And as Bronson Reed said recently “NXT was the professional wrestling show, now it’s just another entertainment show.”

Calling Piper Niven Doudrop, despite Eva Marie is not here anymore and despite the fact that Piper BEAT Eva Marie. “I accept the name now” this sounds like what happened with Chad Gable accepting “Shorty G” FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD, LET HER USE HER FUCKING NAME ALREADY

Shayna goes from being a jobber that lost every match while being in a tag team with Nia, to being Sonya Deville’s henchwoman. WHERE IS THE QUEEN OF SPADES?????

Becky and Charlotte’s booking. Becky and Charlotte are not the problem, I’ve acted like that in the past, but I know the booking is the problem. They act like this indominable force that no one can stop. Neither Becky nor Charlotte put anyone over or make anyone look good. Here’s the difference between Sasha and Bayley and Becky and CHarlotte. Sasha and Bayley went to the ends of the earth to put over people over while still being on top. Becky and Charlotte bury an entire division to put themselves over.

Treating the Universal Championship like the top Championship, but treating the WWE Championship like an afterthought.  Why is the Universal Championship treated like the top belt, but the WWE Championship is treated like an afterthought? The Universal Championship feels like a big deal and is made to be important with legit matches. The WWE Championship? Not so much. It's had great champions in recent years, decent matches that don't really feel important, but it's not at the same level as the Universal Championship. Neither Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley nor Big E can be allowed to feel as big or important as Roman Reigns. I don’t get it. Why isn’t the WWE Championship, the company’s biggest belt with a lineage and history going from Buddy Rogers, Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Austin, Rock, HHH, Brock Lesnar and you get the picture. Why is a Championship, that was once the company’s crowning achievement that goes all the way back to the 1960′s, treated less important than a belt that only existed since 2016? Call me old fashioned, but this should not be happening. Imagine if WCW stayed in business and had two separate titles. The Big Gold Belt, which has been around for a long ass time and the WCW Big Bang Champion, which was created in oh, say 2001 or 2002. See how fucking stupid that is? Why is the WWE Champion constantly made to feel like the secondary champion? Why has Big E, Bobby Lashley, The Miz and Drew McIntyre’s reigns ALL felt inconsequential? Why is it the WWE Championship, despite having DECADES of lineage is constantly made to feel inferior to the Universal Championship? Why is Roman Reigns the only Champion who is allowed to feel important, strong and protected?

The disaster that is the Woman’s Title scene. The Woman’s title scene is a disaster. First of all, WHY are they just called the Raw and Smackdown’s Women’s Championships? One should be the WWE World Women’s Champion and one should be the Women’s Evolution Championship. But the belts don’t look different. One is red and one is blue. Ever since Becky left, the Raw Woman’s Champion was never allowed to feel as important as the Smackdown’s when Bayley ran shit. Asuka barely ever defended her championship. Then they treated Rhea as an afterthought. Nikki Cross as champion was a disaster for a gimmick that was booed out the building in weeks. Only when Charlotte returned was the title given the time it deserves. As for the Smackdown Woman’s Champion, it seems like since Bayley lost it, it lost importance. Sasha was kept in a feud with Carmella that was ridiculous. Than fucking Reginald… The feud with Bianca. The feud itself was poorly built, but the match was great. Had a great feud with Bayley, although the laugh felt like it was designed to make Bianca look weak. Same problem with Bianca. Terrible feud with Carmella. Then Becky dethroned her and became Becky Cringe…sorry Big Time Becks. The belt got it’s mojo back. Apparently these belts are only allowed to feel important again once Charlotte and Becky are both champion. And then the disaster title switch happened. I don’t have to tell you this was a terrible idea to begin with and lead to a disaster backstage. But switching belts and making them feel worthless is not a good look.

Champions are constantly pinned on free TV. It makes no sense for the Champion to lose in a non-title match on Raw or Smackdown while said champion is STILL Champion. If someone can beat the champ, then they deserve the title. It’s that simple. Who wants to see the Champion lose in a match on free TV in a non-title match? People pay to see the champion because they are the champion and their position as number one is on the line.

Happy Corbin. Broke bumass Baron Corbin was someone people could relate to and believe in. He was a babyface the crowd could get behind. But no, instead classic WWE had no idea what they had and made him rich quick and returned Corbin back to normal. IDIOTS

Dumbass babyface syndrome. Babyfaces are no longer allowed to look like badasses who challenge the crooked heels, they are instead presented as losers and geeks. 

Turning Becky Lynch heel. No one wants to fucking boo Becky. Just like no one wanted to boo Austin. This woman at the peak of her career was confident enough to take time off to start a family and now she’s back…and you want me to boo? The fuck is wrong with you? Becky Lynch is the most over person in the company and someone the crowd does not want to boo and you want to make her the heel? READ THE ROOM VINCE! This is classic WWE deciding NOT to give fans what they want. What fans wanted was to cheer for Lynch, but WWE wants you to boo her.

Constantly breaking up Tag Teams and having makeshift Tag Teams in the Tag Title picture scene.

The disaster that is the Intercontinental Championship with a Champion who is never ONCE allowed to defend his own Championship

Constantly cutting Mustafa Ali’s momentum. It goes from Ali’s babyface character, to the hacker storyline, to Retribution and to the planned Anti-American character he had going with this great promo they cut. Mustafa Ali has been constantly disrespected to the point where I just wonder who the fuck has it out for this guy?

The 24/7 title is still around. It’s lost it’s appeal and given the success of AEW’s TNT champion, I would’ve replaced the 24/7 title with the first ever WWE Television Champion

They STILL won’t unify the Tag Team Champions

Hired Gable Steveson, despite him being a rapist

M*tt R*ddle is still around despite being an all around piece of shit, an idiot, a rapist and someone so unlikable that his wife and kids left him

Making Austin Theory into discount Tyler Breeze instead of letting him be who he was as Seth’s disciple or how he was in The Way

The entire Queen’s Crown tournament was literally going back to the stop watch days of the Divas era

Xavier Woods, who finally becomes KOTR, is disrespected and buried as king while The Usos and Roman beats him down and destroys his props. Can’t help but feel this message was intentional giving the UpDownUpDown situation.

Constant 50/50 bullshit booking

Stop and start booking

Continues the Saudi Blood Money deal despite fan protest with SA’s human rights violations and publicly MURDERING an American journalist, oh and VINCE LEFT HIS SUPERSTARS BEHIND WHILE THEY WERE HELD HOSTAGE

Took control over the superstars assets for services like Twitch and cameo. Still insist that their wrestlers are Independent Contractors but treat them like employees and won’t let them make a living on the side. They will make a percentage but  it will count against their downside guarantees. This is fucking criminal

Constantly making the hometown hero lose in their home town

Not giving what the fans want. I don’t wanna hear the claim “it would be too predictable” Call me old fashioned, but sending the fans home happy instead of miserable is what’s best for business, not giving them terrible outcomes, 50/50 booking, terrible storytelling and just awful wrestling. Driving millions away just so you can please Vince is terrible for business

Yes, please tell me how ANY OF THIS was giving the fans what they wanted?

Feel free to add your own

[cavenewstimes]

Nia Jax Confirms Wrestling Comeback Amid WWE Return Rumors

Feedzy Read More Nia Jax was a formidable presence among female WWE Superstars, renowned for her commanding presence inside the wrestling ring. She was released by WWE back in 2021 and largely stayed … 

[technews04]

New movies coming out in 2022

2022 release dates

tech news Jessica Chastain leads a classy cast of spies in the action thriller The 355. Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o and Penelope Cruz join forces with international stars Diane Kruger and Fan Bingbing for a thriller that’s been delayed a year.

Scream (Jan. 14, 2022)

The ’90s slasher series returns.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (Jan. 21, 2022) Guy Ritchie directs Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, and Hugh Grant in a tongue-in-cheek spy romp.

Aline (Jan. 21, 2022)

“A fiction freely inspired by the life of Celine Dion.” Really.

Cyrano (Jan. 21, 2022)

Peter Dinklage is the legendary lover in Cyrano.

Escape from Spiderhead (Jan. 21, 2022) Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Jurnee Smollett star in a sci-fi story about future prisoners and mind-altering drugs.

Moonfall (Feb. 4, 2022) Roland Emmerich and Halle Berry want the moon on a stick in this sci-fi extravaganza.

The Black Phone (Feb. 4, 2022) Ethan Hawke headlines a chilling horror movie.

Jackass Forever (Feb. 4, 2022) Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, and the Jackass crew return after a long break for more pranks and shenanigans. Celebrity guests include Eric André, Shaquille O’Neal, Tony Hawk, Tyler the Creator and Machine Gun Kelly.

Death on the Nile (Feb. 11, 2022) Kenneth Branagh once again fires up his mustache and little gray cells as Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot in a follow-up to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express.

Uncharted (Feb. 18, 2022) When 2020’s films began to be reshuffled, Uncharted was the first 2021 film to be moved. Fans are hyped for Sony’s video game adaptation starring Tom Holland, although the release date has jumped around more than Nathan Drake exploring a temple.

Ambulance (Feb. 18, 2022) Michael Bay dials 911 in this intense action thriller.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Feb. 18, 2022) Netflix reboots the classic horror movie.

Sneakerella (Feb. 18, 2022) Disney Plus updates the Cinderella story to modern-day sneaker culture.

Luck (Feb. 18, 2022) Jane Fonda and Whoopi Goldberg lend their voices to this animated comedy on Apple TV Plus.

Rumble (Feb. 18, 2022) WWE’s movie studio tag teams with Paramount for this animated movie in which giant monsters are superstar athletes in professional wrestling.

The Batman (March 4, 2022) Robert Pattinson dons the bat suit for this delayed DC adventure. It’s a Warner Bros. film, but there are no plans to stream it on HBO Max — only 2021 films were released online.

Turning Red (March 11, 2022) Pixar’s latest flick features a young girl who unwittingly transforms into a giant red panda.

Unwelcome (March 18, 2022) Hannah John-Kamen and Douglas Booth are an expectant couple dealing with goblins at the bottom of their new garden.

The Contractor (March 18, 2022) Chris Pine and Ben Foster reunite for some special forces shenanigans, after their acclaimed pairing in 2016’s Hell or High Water.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022) Following his meddling in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel’s cocky sorcerer Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, tackles the Multiverse of Madness.

The Lost City (March 25, 2022) Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are an author and a model caught up in a jungle adventure in this adventure comedy.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (March 25, 2022) Michelle Yeoh stars in a multiverse-spanning epic from A24. Trust me, just watch the trailer.

Morbius (April 1, 2022) Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff features Jared Leto as Marvel vampire Morbius. Already delayed a couple of times, in January it was delayed again.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (April 8, 2022) Johnny Depp magically disappears from the Harry Potter prequel series, replaced as the villain by Mads Mikkelsen.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (April 8, 2022) Idris Elba is Knuckles as Sonic returns.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (April 8, 2022) John Mulaney and Andy Samberg voice the animated heroes for Disney Plus.

Operation Mincemeat (April 22, 2022) Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden and Kelly Macdonald head this real-life World War II drama.

65 (April 29, 2022) Adam Driver is a crash-landed astronaut in a thriller directed by the writers of A Quiet Place.

Shin Ultraman (May 13, 2022) A reimagining of Japanese superhero adventure Ultraman.

DC League of Super-Pets (May 20, 2022) Dwayne Johnson is Krypto (Superman’s dog) in this animated comedy featuring the voices of Keanu Reeves, John Krasinski, Kate McKinnon, Natasha Lyonne, Kevin Hart, Diego Luna, Jameela Jamil and Vanessa Bayer.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie (May 27, 2022) The Belcher family flips out in an animated version of the cartoon series Bob’s Burgers.

Top Gun: Maverick (May 27, 2022) We’ve waited over 30 years for a sequel to the original 1986 Top Gun, as Tom Cruise feels the need for speed again.

[trueaimwrestling]

The Earnings Report: Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins

Over the last two years, WWE has released nearly 120 people from employment. Some of these were somewhat expected, however many of these releases came as a shock to the fanbase of not just WWE, but professional wrestling as a whole. With the drawing power, creativity, and incredible talent these performers had, letting them go was a baffling decision. Even some of the more reasonable cuts, such as midcarders they weren’t even using were confusing because of the potential that WWE seemed to be just...ignoring.

Citing budget cuts as a reason for almost every single release, while simultaneously continuing to gobble up talent for an already bloated roster, one that could easily be used in order to protect the health of existing talent by allowing for more tag team matches and sabbaticals, the company appears to have gotten out of the business of telling stories. Rather, they’re far more interested in the buying and selling of wrestlers: hire so they can’t make WWE look bad, and fire when they realize the money they’re paying those same people could go right into their own pockets.

It’s not about the booking. It’s about who you own.

The fact of the matter is, WWE has never wanted to be in the business of professional wrestling. Vince McMahon himself has spurned the term since he bought the company from Vince McMahon, Sr., back in 1982. Ever since, it's been sports entertainment, and it sneers at the very idea that it has anything to do with the independent promotions--promotions that continue to surface and thrive since he essentially eliminated the territory system by buying them all up early in his tenure as owner of the company.

The issue with WWE's seemingly willful resistance to telling good stories, or telling real stories at all, is the fact that they're missing out on all of that sweet fan cash they're chasing after. They want the easy way to riches, and therefore they are missing out on billions more they could be bringing in if they expended the barest minimum of effort. If they supported talent to generate interest rather than cutting them to boost their own salaries, if WWE would start creating stars instead of looking for them, they could have the world's most bloated roster, and take advantage of that fact. They could shore up house shows once the pandemic allows for it, have great rosters for TV that are truly exclusive to their shows, book stellar PPV cards, and all the while protect their talent since they refuse to provide them with any other protection that an employee might require.

To be blunt, the goal of this series is to show just what WWE has thrown out, and how badly they're screwing up by doing so. We'll be taking a look at the releases that occurred between 2020 and 2021, case by case, and how WWE could have had a valuable, profitable, popular commodity if only they had held onto them – and expended a minimum of effort to produce incredible results. It’s going to be a mixture of speculation and fantasy booking to see every way possible that things could have gone differently. This will apply to released superstars only, not those whose contracts ran out, and it won't necessarily be in chronological order.

At the end of each dream scenario, we'll be showing what really happened to the talent, as well as all the points where fantasy became reality...and cost WWE, along with its shareholders, a ton of money and a lot of power.

With that said...let's look at the first case in this series: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins.

**********

The perennial loser. The renegade sensation. Ten years apart, floundering within the ranks of WWE – or, in the case of one, being flat out fired and re-hired.

Then Hawkins is selected as a special guest referee, and despite his losing ways as a wrestler, he's a razor sharp ref. The Revival take umbrage to this, and when Hawkins is down his best friend is there to watch his back.

From there, it's a comeback story for the ages, culminating with a pre-show tag team victory for the hometown heroes in New York at Wrestlemania. The losing streak ends at 269, and you can be damn sure that they're spelling Zack Ryder's name right on the TV graphics from now on.

Which they do, of course. Thanks to the fact that WWE has taken their own mistakes and acknowledged them through storytelling -- how they overlook their midcard, how they’ve failed to capitalize on stars who can forge their own popularity on their own terms -- Hawkins and Ryder become a highly reliable commodity. They deliver great performances, they play the underdog angle well, and they take Ryder’s catch phrase seriously: they’re always ready. On the house circuit, and on TV, they're omnipresent – on the midcard, yes, or the first match of the night, but the reactions they get are huge. They’re a hard act to follow, and nights when they’re the first match out, the energy levels are through the roof for the rest of the event.

WWE even promotes the duo’s side project, the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, adding an infographic during every match they wrestle. The duo doesn't sell the property, but as various in-jokes on the podcast grow in popularity, there are backstage vignettes that pop up with Hawkins and Ryder playing with (and of course, promoting) the various wrestling action figures available from WWE. Occasionally, a well known catch phrase from the podcast ends up in a scene, and they get a new shirt in the WWE store...designed, of course, by their favorite artist, who ends up doing even more work for WWE, growing his audience.

Their title reign continues, despite some singles and non-title losses. They remain a steady draw—Win Or Lose, they are Never Defeated.

Figure It Out, their show on WWE's YouTube channel, continues to generate views. On air promotion of the podcast grows their listener base, and soon their title reign extends from two months to four months, ending six months later. By then, Season 3 of the show is already in the works. The podcast even develops their own YouTube channel with some cross promotion on WWE’s own, one that offers exclusive behind the scenes content from Figure It Out, and other various vlogs chronicling their collecting adventures.

With their Cinderella story at its conclusion, their success and good fortune provide inspiration for a new gimmick: the Gratitude Era, with the duo spreading their message through the locker room. A few other midcarders join them, and while it's entertaining every time it shows up on TV, it never quite turns into a joke. Rather, they form a popular stable surrounding their collecting, their upbeat message, and their sense of humor that offers a spotlight to other gifted midcard workers, and even builds up guys that have been reduced to high profile jobbers.

A line of Gratitude Era shirts is released, spoofing styles from the stars and legends of the original Attitude Era. Legends appear on TV from time to time to ally with these masters of positive thinking. Charities are involved, raising money for great causes to support the superstars around them – such as various cancer charities connected to Roman Reigns' battle with leukemia. The company even goes in on the annual toy drive the podcast starts doing, making donations of their own and creating exclusive merch whose sales go towards buying still more toys for donation -- merch that’s so successful, there’s even talk of licensing of an actual podcast toy line. WWE even takes a step from Hawkins and Ryder, and hosts meet and greets in the various towns they visit with a new, unopened toy as the price of admission.

Here and there, as time goes on, one or the other earns a shot at the likes of the Intercontinental Title. They join R-Truth as record setting holders of the 24/7 title, and even feud briefly for who has held it the greatest number of times. In the end, they reunite to beat a champion simultaneously, and maintain a long standing record as the longest reigning 24/7 co-champions in WWE history.

What's more, they remain a constant in the tag team scene. Top competitors, number one contenders, with numerous other reigns to their credit. Their YouTube show soon spawns a channel of its own—WWE owns Figure It Out, but now the boys have a budget, and they're shopping for collectibles not just as a pair, but with other WWE superstars and celebrities outside the business.

Their activities outside the ring grow so successful, the dream becomes a reality: with WWE’s backing, they launch their own podcast network, complete with live shows taking place in various cities hosting major WWE pay per views. Other wrestlers in the company are invited to join the effort, make appearances at the live shows -- and the creative outlet does wonders for backstage morale.

Once in a while, the duo starts to crop up in bigger title scenarios, their reputations as tenacious underdogs providing fodder for a good program with the next big star. Maybe they score some major wins, maybe they don't, but Hawkins and Ryder, or as they start calling themselves, The Majors, are always ready for a fight—and their Major Marks are never far, supporting them every step of the way.

**********

That's the fantasy. This is the reality.

Figure It Out never got a third season, but the shopping exploits of Zack Ryder (Matt Cardona) and Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers) live on on the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast YouTube channel—that was real, as was the development of the Major Pod Network. The network features various shows -- audio, video, and both -- with a wide cast of characters from all over the business. What started with a podcast about collecting toys has spawned a full fledged fantasy wrestling figure promotion, FWF, with its own show. There's also a show about theme parks, one for trading cards, another for video games—there's even a podcast where Cardona discusses the history of Z True Hollywood Story, the internet show that made him a champion twice over, self-anointed and elevated briefly by WWE.

They do live shows, too, with Major Pod Live 11 slated for January 22, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. What’s more, they’ve been bringing in big names all along. Guests from previous shows have included The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, referre John Cone, and stars of the past such as Raven and first ever Tough Enough winner, Maven. Friends of the network appear on various shows and at live events, among them being Heath Miller (formerly Heath Slater), Dylan Postl (Hornswoggle), Tony Nese, and more.

The network has a staff, too—and have gone on to employ their own fans. Remember the artist in our fantasy scenario? That was the online artist known as TTD, a gifted fellow that has been designing t-shirts for the podcast all along, and has graduated to designing gear for Myers and Cardona as well. Their gear from Wrestlemania 35 was one such endeavor -- he’s not just a fan anymore, he’s an employee of Cardona and Myers, and his creations are appearing on the merch and gear of many others.

There’s also, of course, Zombie Sailor, a man with a gift for finding vintage toys. Along with becoming a regular collaborator with Cardona and Myers, he’s also a supplier, and now works full time selling rare lots of mint condition collectible toys that have never even left the packing case. He’s also the man producing exclusive merchandise for the network on a regular basis.

Brian Myers on his own is now wrestling with IMPACT, under his own name and the moniker of “The Most Professional Wrestler.” His debut post-release had him competing for the world title, and he's remained a visible figure in the promotion since as a top notch heel. Myers has also been making a name for himself as a producer of star level talent with his wrestling school, Create A Pro Wrestling, which has been feeding a steady stream of talent to AEW in the form of MJF, Max Caster, Kris Statlander, and others—like network producer and fan favorite, Smart Mark Sterling.

Matt Cardona remains one of the most hardworking men in this business. After a brief appearance in AEW after his release, Cardona has been making the rounds, appearing on IMPACT in a feud with Myers and eventually landed in Game Changer Wrestling where he reigned for a time as their champion until Jon Moxley took the title from him back in September. He’s been a regular favorite ever since, proving himself as a highly effective heel that fans love to hate, and never fail to support.

The charitable endeavors are real as well—since the inception of the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, Myers and Cardona have run an annual holiday toy drive culminating in special events held at Create A Pro with donations increasing every year. Collectibles dealer Ringside Collectibles supports the effort by offering free shipping to those who order during the toy drive, which powers still more donations to the effort—they often make donations of their own as well, and are a pillar of the network as a permanent sponsor of the core Major Wrestling Figure Podcast. They also made that toy line a reality, with every exclusive release of figures & accessories selling out in record time or breaking the website outright.

The Major Marks? They're real as well, the fanbase of the podcast. They show up for every special limited merchandise run. They pledge to the network's Patreon, and the Patreon exclusive Facebook group the duo created as an incentive has become an incredibly close knit community that not only celebrates and supports its own, but protects collectors within and without from scams and fraudsters that might otherwise give reputable collectibles dealers a bad name.

In short, Brian Myers and Matt Cardona are doing very well for themselves. They're still performing, they've given mainstream visibility and acclaim to a very niche hobby, and are very literally amassing a media empire. What's more, they're doing it slowly, steadily, and with barely a hiccup to be found. That's what happens when you run a company with genuine passion, by telling great stories, and by listening to and caring for your fans.

Sure, maybe it’s not an overly realistic look at what could have happened. There’s licensing issues, other various and sundry legalities to consider, but even promoting the podcast could have been profitable for WWE. Using Myers and Cardona as a direct line to an important consumer group in their fanbase could have changed the course of history.

Making their talent successful only helps them, and supporting their outside efforts, especially their charitable ones, could have earned a lot of goodwill from the WWE Universe. Every dollar they earn going forward, every accolade, every success, is one less thing WWE can use to their advantage.

This is the very first WWE Earnings Report—and already, the losses are piling up.

[wwelivetv]

Top Dolla Recalls "Disappointment, Shame" After WWE Release

Top Dolla Recalls “Disappointment, Shame” After WWE Release

WWE Superstar Top Dolla (AJ Francis) is getting candid about the disappointment and shame he felt when he was released from the company in 2021. Hit Row is back doing their thing on the SmackDown brand, but it was not an easy road getting there. The group was swept up in WWE’s ‘cost cutting’ wave of releases last year and Top Dolla was hit especially hard when he found himself out of work. During…