#wrestlemania 36 night one

[solarsonicsoda]

Wrestlemania Main Event Reviews - Wrestlemania XXXVI (Saturday)

The Undertaker def. AJ Styles w/ Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in a Boneyard Match in 18:18

This one’s a cinematic match! We’re in a graveyard as a hearse approaches. Two druids bring out a coffin to Taker’s music but when they open it it’s AJ Styles! He’s laughing and mouthing off but then he hears a motorbike approaching which carries the Undertaker! This has got such a unique, cool energy!

AJ points to a grave he dug for Taker and mouths off, grabbing a brick but Taker sees it coming and attacks. He beats on AJ, throwing him into the casket and asking him where he’s going. He goes to hit him with a small pipe or something, but AJ ducks and he breaks the hearse window. He’s bleeding and just calmly cusses before moving on. AJ fights back but Taker throws him into the hearse windshield. They fight on top of the hearse and Taker looks far more menacing than he has in years. AJ throws dirt in his eyes and gains the upper hand, dragging him towards the grave, but Taker levels him with a big punch. AJ tumbles into the grave when Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson show up with an army of druids! He fights off the circle of them but the Good Brothers beat him down. Anderson grabs a shovel as Gallows holds him, but Taker fights back, using the shovel stick on the two of them. It’s at that point AJ comes from behind and smashes a gravestone over his head! He pounds on Taker and yells at Taker for making him break his finger. He tells Taker to retire and charges into him through a fence wall. AJ continues to mouth off as Taker throws up a middle finger at him. AJ comes in with some punches, breaks a shovel over Taker’s back to send him into the grave. He says “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” and goes to bury him with the dirt on the digger. But as he hoots and hollers, Taker appears behind him as light shines! He attacks AJ who retreats to the nearby structure where the druids came from. He climbs to the roof pursued by Taker who sets off fire pyro behind AJ! The Good Brothers attack but Taker launches Gallows off the top and hits a Tombstone Piledriver on Anderson!

AJ attacks but Taker is resilient and chokeslams AJ off the top through a panel of wood. He asks AJ if he wants to keep making the taunts he’s been making in the build-up and is menacingly friendly. He helps him up and carries him to the grave as he tells AJ he’s tougher than he thought. AJ apologises and begs for mercy from Taker who congratulates him and hugs him when he was gonna chokeslam him into the grave, turns away, but then boots AJ into the grave. He dumps the dirt on him with the digger as his theme plays. He pulls the foliage from the grave to reveal AJ’s name, we pan down to see his hand sticking up through the dirt, Taker grabs his bandana, gets on his bike, and Undertaker pyro and lights go off in the background as he raises a hand and drives off to AC/DC. 

Pros: Fantastic chessiness, over the top, unique, funny, cool, nice sendoff Cons: Repetitive action, too silly for some

This is one of the most divisive main events, but for me, I loved it then and I loved it now! It’s just brilliantly wacky and tongue-in-cheek, with over the top fights and stipulation. The sendoff was emotional and nice, and AJ was a star in this match with his taunting, the same for Taker. Amazingly over the top in my opinion, and the fact that the Good Brothers never showed up on TV again implies that Taker finished those two off!

4.5 STARS OUT OF 5

[theuntitledblog]

WWE WrestleMania 40 - REVIEW

What an experience WrestleMania 40 turned out to be and may well rank as the best WrestleMania experience I've ever had even if it may not have been the best WrestleMania I've ever seen. I'm a fan of the 2 night format introduced for WrestleMania 36 and for me allows the overall event to flow better without feeling overstuffed with content. WrestleMania 40 is no different in that regard and featured what I thought was an overall good card although I personally thought it wasn't quite as tantalising as the WrestleMania 38 and 39 cards. The biggest and best thing going for this WrestleMania and made all the difference however was the storytelling. All the major matches on the card had a decent story going in and even the ones that carried my interest the least such as LWO vs. Dominik/Santos Escobar, Biance/Naomi/Jade vs. Damage Contrl and The Pride vs. Final Testament made up for it on the night with some solid performances, comedy elements and/or star power. If I was to judge Saturday and Sunday against each other then I would say that Sunday was the better of the two in but as a complete event, this was a WrestleMania that did not produce any absolute stinkers but rather some generally quality matches with a few absolute stand out moments to say the least.

Whilst this was a WrestleMania that was brewing a number of stories going in (LA Knight/AJ Styles, Bayley/Iyo & Ripley/Lynch) there's little doubt that the whole event was centred around the Bloodline, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. Whether Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes was their original plan or not, few could seriously deny that WWE had crafted yet another compelling story from the Bloodline Saga going into yet another WrestleMania. At WrestleMania 38 they marketed the third Reigns/Lesnar encounter as 'The Biggest Main Event of All Time', frankly they could've done that here and it would've actually delivered on that tag line. The Bloodline is perhaps the greatest faction in the modern era of WWE that has dominated the landscape since 2020 and has constantly evolved to keep itself fresh and relevant when it sometimes felt that the story had run its course. The double Bloodline Main Event delivered two classic matches with finishes that felt right and complimented each other leading to the triumph that was the Sunday Night Main Event. Cody Rhodes' 'finish the story' arc has been going on for a lot longer than I think any of us expected. Many, including myself, felt that the WrestleMania 39 Main Event went the wrong way and was a missed opportunity yet the irony is that the result of this event was even more tantalizing because of the previous year. It felt poised for the story to finish but there was always a doubt about whether they would or not. It's testament to the long term storytelling approach of the current era and what makes it all work even more is the genuine emotion behind it. The closing moments of WrestleMania 40 are right up there alongside WrestleManias 20 and 30 yet those moments shouldn't overlook that Cody and Roman worked an an outstanding match to get there as did Seth Rollins and The Rock the night before. Both Saturday and Sunday's Main Events were full of near falls and incidents and the run ins (on Night 2) went completely off the chart with the Undertaker's appearance especially feeling very distinct. I can't remember the last time the Main Event of a WrestleMania was actually the match of the night but with WrestleMania 40, both main event matches stole the show for me.

Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch opened WrestleMania 40 with a very good match that I felt never quite reached the quality that Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair did at WrestleMania 39. I was initially disappointed because I was hoping for an absolute classic but it was later revealed that Becky Lynch was wrestling unwell which changes my perception a lot of this match. It was the predictable but right result and further cements Rhea Ripley as the top female wrestler in WWE today and it certainly didn't make sense for me to move the title onto Becky Lynch who frankly didn't need it at this stage of her career. A strong opening for WrestleMania 40.

Sami Zayn defeating Gunther and ending the longest Intercontinental Title run in history was a big WrestleMania moment for him and turned out to be one of the best matches on the card. Was this better than the Triple Threat Match Gunther had with Drew McIntyre and Sheamus last year? Not for me and I'm still not 100% sure whether Sami was the right person for this but there's no denying the quality of the execution. It was a great feel good moment that was well positioned to balance the card out when you consider how the result of the Main Event tag match was going to go. It was the feel good moment Saturday needed and was the second best match on the Saturday card for me. I'm a huge Gunther fan and while I'm disappointed his run as champion is over, truthfully he's done as much as he can with that title and will hopefully be positioned into the main event scene in the coming months.

The type of match Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre worked was not what I was expecting and reminded me of the sort of fast paced, frantic, finisher heavy encounters that we saw with Brock Lesnar in recent years. Yet it made sense when you factor in the long running injury storyline with Seth Rollins plus Rollins had worked a 45 minute match the previous evening. This certainly set the pace and mood for WrestleMania Sunday that it would be one that they followed all night right into the Main Event. What followed with CM Punk and Damian Priest however I thought was storytelling genius. McIntyre vs. Punk is gonna be a long gestating feud and the inevitable clash is going to be something to really look forward to and that's going to be in no small part due to this moment. Well judged, smart and forward thinking; this was one of WrestleMania 40's best moments.

I love a triple threat match especially when done well with superstars who have great chemistry, timing and creativity. Logan Paul/Kevin Owens/Randy Orton made for a great WrestleMania pairing and it delivered exactly what you would want for an event of this magnitude. It keeps getting said however Logan Paul deserves plenty of plaudits for the performances he delivers and this year is no different. Better than the WrestleMania 39 triple threat match? Still a no for me but then again that was a very different type of match that played out. This match here is one of the best WrestleMania 40 served up.

What a statement this match was. Not only was this match high up on the card but it featured a trailblazer for women's wrestling who finally got her WrestleMania moment against one of the finest to come out of NXT. A real opportunity to showcase the biggest night of the wrestling year and neither of them disappointed. I did wonder whether they had the best chemistry but they put on a great performance and the match was helped by a crowd who were into it from the very start. Very good match.

BEST NIGHT - Sunday/Night 2

BEST MATCH - Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns and The Rock (Night 1)

WORST MATCH - Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso (Night 1)

BEST MOMENT - Cody finishes the story

WORST MOMENT - The table accidentally breaks in The Pride vs. The Final Testament match

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS - LA Knight vs. AJ Styles

SHOULD'VE BEEN BETTER - Naomi, Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill vs. Damage Contrl

BEST ENTRANCE - Seth Rollins (Night 2)

WORST ENTRANCE - Bayley

UNSUNG HERO - Seth Rollins

VERDICT OF WRESTLEMANIA 40

A WrestleMania of generally high quality matches supporting two Main Event matches telling a compelling story. This is a WrestleMania that will rightly be remembered as the night Cody finishes his story in one of the greatest feel good moments in WWE history. A very good WrestleMania but perhaps not the best WrestleMania.

****

[chloewatcheswrestling]

Wrestling Love Letters

Fireflies in the Dark: A Tribute to Bray Wyatt

I wasn’t going to write today.

But then we lost Bray.

There are some performers who transcend the ring and become more than just athletes. Bray’s mystique and captivating storytelling, undoubtedly made him one of those figures. His unexpected passing has left our community mourning the loss of one of our great wrestling minds who managed to weave enchanting narratives that gripped wrestling fans worldwide.

Bray used the canvas like a true artist, painting his stories with the strokes of a genius. He was the cult leader I would have followed willingly, especially during an "era of lies" where authenticity seemed scarce. In moments when watching WWE grew challenging, his segments became my refuge – a place to immerse myself and search for hidden gems within his narrative. The most recent version of Bray walked down that ramp every week and relayed the same message, and yet, we were still right there, in the palm of his hands. This wasn't just charisma; it was a connection that few could forge. He was an inspiration to anyone who has lost their way, a guiding light amidst the darkness.

Many likened him to the Undertaker but, for me, he was this generations Mick Foley. A man of many faces, he was a unique fusion of wrestling brilliance and raw charisma. The juxtaposition of his eerie presence with a touch of humanity made him a character like few others. My favourite Bray, Firefly Funhouse Bray, was Mr. Rogers-esque, a blend of warmth and macabre that shouldn't have worked, but did – brilliantly.

The night he won the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber (2017) is etched into my memory – a moment of triumph that stood as a testament to his talent and dedication. I can vividly recall the chills that ran down my spine as I witnessed The Fiend's debut at Summerslam (2019). The classic horror ambiance he effortlessly created became a hallmark of his performances. The Firefly Funhouse match vs John Cena (Wrestlemania 36, 2020) remains one of my favourites. It wasn't for everyone, but for those who understood its depth, it was a masterpiece. It was a match that came at a time where the world was shut down and we needed an escape from reality. Bray knew his audience – those loyal viewers who craved acknowledgment, who searched for Easter eggs and subtle nods (along with some not-so-subtle winks to camera, talking directly to his fans). Bray Wyatt dared to be bold. In a time when creativity often felt stifled, he fearlessly injected his character with veiled jabs at WWE creative. The Vince McMahon puppet with little devil horns was a testament to his audacity. He thrived on speculation and anticipation, drawing fans into conversations about the identities of the wrestlers behind the puppets and the possibility of a Wyatt Six faction. Bray was more than a performer; he was an architect of engagement.

Beyond his character, Windham was a person who was loved and respected. To his father Mike, his brother Bo, his wife Jojo, and to his children, my heart goes out. The Wyatt family, both the on-screen and off-screen versions, has suffered profound losses with the passing of Brodie and now Bray.

As I watched the tribute videos and teary messages this morning, I stumbled upon his return speech following Extreme Rules and the words he left us with, "This is a version of me that I’ve never got to introduce to you guys before, this is just me… being me, genuine me, for the first time." Those words echo a sentiment many can relate to – the search for authenticity in a world that often demands conformity.

To Bray, thank you for the stories, the captivating moments, the suspense, the pops, your unapologetic creativity and your beautiful mind and thank you, for being you. You always mattered to us and as the fireflies fade off screen, your legacy will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of your fans worldwide.

With pins, submissions, and some tears,

Chloe xoxo

25.08.2023

“...I was in a time of need, and I lost people that were close to me, and I lost my self-confidence and I felt weak and I felt vulnerable. And in this weakest state I found your words Bray, I found your words…”

[blowflyfag]

Pro Wrestling Illustrated : APRIL 1996

close-up: THE KID

part 1

Transcript Below!!!

Continued teaming with Holly; they scored numerous victories over the Heavenly Bodies … Seconded Ramon for his Wrestlemania XI I-C title match against Jarrett and helped clear the ring of Jarrett and The Roadie after the match, which ended with “Double-J” being disqualified … That started a new feud, with Ramon and The Kid going after Jarrett and Roadie. But in a tag team match on April 24. The Kid reaggravated a neck injury he suffered earlier in the month … Was pinned by The Roadie in one of his earliest return matches … Was pinned by Hakushi at SummerSlam ‘95 … Trouble started brewing during a match between Ramon and Dean Douglas at the September 24 In Your House card … Referee Tim White was hurt and out of position when Ramon had Douglas covered. Kid bounded into the ring and made a three-count for White; Ramon mistakenly thought the ref was counting and broke the cover, then shoved Kid out of the ring. Razor was then rolled up by Douglas for the pin … Ramon threw Kid into the ring again, and the two traded blows … Kid and Ramon shook hands after their match the next night at Raw and agreed to end their feud … It was wishful thinking … Ramon and Kid teamed to wrestle WWF World tag champions The Smokin’ Gunns at In Your House IV … They wrestled like rulebreakers and would have won had Ramon covered Billy Gunn after executing his “Razor’s Edge” … Ramon and Kid split after Kid refereed Ramon and Sid Vicious match on October 23. He pulled Sid out of Ramon’s “Razor Edge,” then made a fast three-count on Ramon, accepted some cash from Ted DiBiase, and left the ring … Took on DiBiase as his manager and is now a full-blown rulebreaker who’s no longer the fan’s favorite underdog … Look for him to team with Sid regularly in the near future.

TOUGHEST OPPONENT Owen Hart. They have met on several occasions, and Kid has yet to score a clean victory. The most heartbreaking defeat came at the 1994 King of the Ring tournament, when an injured Kid lost to Hart in the semifinals. Earlier in the night, he had been piledrived three times by Jeff Jarrett. Kid had several chances to win the exciting semifinal match, but he finally succumbed to a “sharpshooter” at 3:36. MOST HATED OPPONENT Shawn Michaels. They've certainly had their differences over the years. Several years ago, Kid lost to Michaels on Monday Night Raw, and Michaels punctuated the win by twice power-bombing Kid. Razor Ramon came to his rescue. Though Kid is now a rulebreaker and Michaels a fan favorite, they still have their differences, probably because Michaels and The Kid are so alike. They have huge egos and use similar styles. 

FAVORITE MOVE

Reverse spinning kick. Ask Kid to name his favorite move and he’ll give you a long list. He has a lot of them in his repertoire. He loves climbing to the top rope and leaping at an opponent. But he seems to rely most upon a spinning kick that has incredible impact. Victims often wonder. How can a man so small execute a move that hurts so much and comes at you so quickly?

GREATEST MATCH

vs. Sabu, April 17,1993. The Kid had just made his first WWF appearance in the WWF, and he hadn’t impressed many people with a loss to Louie Spicolli. But they should have seen his match against Sabu on an independent card in Minnesota. It was an aerial spectacle in which both men looked like they were trying to destroy each other. After a few minutes, Kid had been bloodied. He won by DQ. When the bout was over, he knew he was ready for the WWF

[braindead-virtually-tv]

WrestleMania Nights 1 & 2 Match Cards

April 1st & 2nd So-Fi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Have your say in the "Who will win" Polls!

NIGHT 1

Singles Match for the WWE United States Champion Austin Theory (c) v John Cena

The story so far (via Wikipedia) 

Since April 2022, Austin Theory and John Cena had been teasing a match against each other over social media. The two briefly came face-to-face during Cena's 20-year anniversary celebration on the June 27, 2022, episode of Raw, where Theory mocked Cena and called him out of touch. In February 2023, during the Elimination Chamber post-event press conference after Theory had retained the United States Championship at the event, Theory was annoyed that everyone was asking about Cena instead of his own accomplishments. After it was announced that Cena would be making his return on the March 6 episode of Raw, Theory stated that he would be giving him a warm welcome back. Theory confronted Cena on that episode and claimed that Cena was an inspiration to him and then challenged Cena to face him at WrestleMania 39 for the United States Championship, however, Cena declined as he felt Theory was not ready. After some coaxing from Theory, Cena allowed his hometown of Boston to decide, and they cheered to see the match, which prompted Cena to accept the challenge. On March 24, it was confirmed that the match would open Night 1.

Singles Match Seth "Freakin" Rollins v Logan Paul

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

At the Royal Rumble, Logan Paul, who had been out with an injury since Crown Jewel in November 2022, made a surprise return as an entrant in the men's Royal Rumble match and eliminated Seth "Freakin" Rollins. Following this, Rollins began bad mouthing Paul in interviews, stating that he did not want Paul to be in WWE. At Elimination Chamber during the titular match, Paul snuck into the Chamber and attacked Rollins, costing him the United States Championship.[44] Paul accepted Rollins' invitation to appear on the March 6 episode of Raw, where Rollins wanted to fight only for Paul to decline and state that he would not fight for free and hinted that they could fight at WrestleMania 39. WrestleMania host The Miz then claimed that he could make the match official, and it was later confirmed. On his Impaulsive podcast, Paul stated that the match would be happening on Night 1.

Singles Match for the WWE Women's Smackdown Championship Charlotte Flair (c) v Rhea Ripley

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

At the Royal Rumble, Raw's Rhea Ripley won the women's Royal Rumble match to earn a women's championship match of her choice at WrestleMania 39. On the following episode of Raw, she chose to challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship, setting up a WrestleMania rematch between the two from WrestleMania 36 in 2020, where Flair had won that year's Royal Rumble and had chosen and defeated Ripley for the NXT Women's Championship. This subsequently marks the first women's WrestleMania rematch to happen at a WrestleMania.

Six-Woman Tag Team Match Trish Stratus, Lita & Becky Lynch v Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky)

Men's WrestleMania Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Showcase Braun Strowman & Ricochet v The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) v The Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) v The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

On the March 17 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that at WrestleMania 39, there would be two WrestleMania Showcase matches, which would be fatal four-way tag team matches, with one each for the men and women. Qualifying matches for the women's Showcase began that night. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez qualified first by defeating Tegan Nox and Emma. The following week, Natalya and Shotzi qualified by defeating Xia Li and Lacey Evans, and after the match, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were added, bypassing a qualifier match. No qualifying matches were held for the men's Showcase as all four teams were announced on March 20: Braun Strowman and Ricochet, The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar), The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis).

Tag Team Match for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Titles The Usos (Jey & Jimmy Uso) (c) v Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

Since late 2020, Kevin Owens had an off and on feud with The Bloodline. At Survivor Series WarGames in November 2022, Owens was on the opposing team in a WarGames match against The Bloodline, which included Owens' best friend, Sami Zayn, who joined The Bloodline as an honorary member in mid-2022. The Bloodline was victorious at Survivor Series thanks to Zayn betraying Owens. After Bloodline leader Roman Reigns defeated Owens at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Bloodline members The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) and Solo Sikoa attacked Owens, while Zayn watched on in uncertainty. Reigns ordered Zayn to attack Owens with a steel chair, but Zayn turned on Reigns and attacked him instead. Zayn apologized to Jey, who he had become close with, only for Jimmy, Sikoa, and Reigns to attack Zayn as an emotionally distraught Jey left the ring as the rest of The Bloodline continued the assault. This led to a match between Reigns and Zayn at Elimination Chamber where Reigns won, but after the match, Owens prevented The Bloodline (except Jey) from further attacking Zayn. On the following Raw, Zayn said that despite their rough history, he and Owens should work together to take down The Bloodline. Owens said that he only assisted Zayn so that Zayn's family would not have to see him get destroyed like Owens did in front of his own family at the Royal Rumble and he told Zayn he would continue fighting alone. Over the next weeks, Zayn tried to convince The Usos that Reigns was manipulating them. Jimmy maintained his loyalty to his family, while Jey's uncertainty continued until the March 6 episode of Raw where he seemingly sided with Zayn, but then turned on him, because Zayn was not family. The following week, Reigns' WrestleMania opponent Cody Rhodes attempted to help resolve issues between Owens and Zayn, but Owens refused; however, later that night, Owens came to Zayn's aid, who got ambushed by The Usos, and Owens and Zayn embraced. On the March 20 episode of Raw, The Usos accepted Owens and Zayn's challenge for a match at WrestleMania 39 for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.

Singles Match Rey Mysterio v Dominik Mysterio

The story so far (via Wikipedia) 

Rey Mysterio would also have his own issues with The Judgment Day, which only heightened when his own son Dominik turned on him to join Judgment Day at Clash at the Castle in September 2022.[63] Rey refused to fight his own son and was about to quit WWE, but he was convinced to stay, and he was traded to the SmackDown brand to avoid Judgment Day on Raw. However, their paths would cross again at the Royal Rumble. Rey was supposed to compete in the men's Royal Rumble match, but he never came out when his entrance music played. Dominik then entered, carrying Rey's mask, implying that he attacked his dad to prevent him from entering. With Judgment Day's Rhea Ripley winning the women's Royal Rumble and choosing to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, the group began appearing on SmackDown, thus Dominik began tormenting his dad again. On the March 10 episode, after it was announced that Rey would be the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023, The Judgment Day interrupted and Dominik said his dad did not deserve the recognition. The following week, an emotional Rey said he wanted Dominik by his side for his Hall of Fame induction, but Dominik instead tried goading Rey into a match at WrestleMania 39. Rey, however, affirmed his position that he would not fight his son. On the March 24 episode, the Mysterio family were in attendance for Rey's match, which he lost thanks to interference from Dominik. Afterwards, Dominik disrespected his mother and sister, forcing Rey to intervene and hit Dominik. Rey then stated that Dominik forced him to do so and accepted his challenge for a match at WrestleMania 39.

NIGHT 2

Single's Match for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship Roman Reigns (c) v Cody Rhodes

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

At WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes made a surprise return to WWE after having been away from the company for six years—during his time away, he established himself on the independent circuit and helped found another promotion, All Elite Wrestling, in January 2019. At the same event, Roman Reigns became the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion by retaining his Universal Championship and winning the WWE Championship. On the Raw after WrestleMania, Rhodes stated that he returned to win the WWE Championship, not only for himself, but also for his late father, Dusty, who never won the title.In June, Rhodes suffered a pectoral injury, which sidelined him for several months. At the 2023 Royal Rumble, Rhodes returned and won the men's Royal Rumble match to earn a match against Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39. While Rhodes simply wanted to win the championship to bring honor to his family, Reigns, by way of his special counsel Paul Heyman, made it personal, with Heyman stating that Dusty's last words to him were that although Cody was his favorite son, Reigns, who Dusty trained, was the son he always wanted. On the March 3 episode of SmackDown, Rhodes confronted Reigns face-to-face for the first time. Rhodes claimed that throughout his career, he had always overcome the odds and would do it again at WrestleMania. Reigns reinforced what Heyman had said, and then told Rhodes that at WrestleMania, if there was anything that Dusty did not teach his own son, Reigns would.

Single's Match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship Bianca Belair (c) v Asuka

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

Due to the women’s Royal Rumble match winner choosing the SmackDown Women's Championship, an Elimination Chamber match was scheduled for the eponymous event to determine Bianca Belair's challenger for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 39. The match was won by Asuka.

Singles Match Brock Lesnar v Omos

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

On the February 20 episode of Raw, Omos and his manager MVP addressed the match between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley from Elimination Chamber. MVP called Lesnar a coward and claimed that Lesnar intentionally disqualified himself because Lesnar knew he could not break Lashley's Hurt Lock submission. MVP then invited Lesnar to Raw the following week to accept Omos' challenge for a match at WrestleMania 39. That episode, after MVP sold him on the match, Lesnar accepted.

Triple Threat for the WWE Intercontinental Championship Gunther (c) v Drew McIntyre v Sheamus

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

On the March 3 episode of SmackDown, a fatal five-way match between Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, and Karrion Kross was announced for the following week, where the winner would face Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 39. On March 9, it was announced that due to an injury, Kingston's New Day tag team partner Xavier Woods would replace him in the match. A double pinfall occurred in the match, with McIntyre and Sheamus named co-winners. It was then announced that the two would face each other the following week to determine the definitive number one contender, however, that match ended in a no-contest after Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci) attacked both men. WWE official Adam Pearce then decided that Gunther would defend the championship against both McIntyre and Sheamus in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 39.

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

At SummerSlam in July 2022, Bayley made her return from injury alongside Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky after Becky Lynch's match. Lynch would take time off due to an attack from Bayley, Kai, and Sky and the three dubbed themselves as Damage CTRL. Lynch made her return in November, and led her team in defeating Damage CTRL's team in a WarGames match at Survivor Series WarGames. Over the next few weeks, Damage CTRL continued targeting Lynch and on the February 6, 2023, episode of Raw, during a Steel Cage match between Lynch and Bayley, WWE Hall of Famer Lita returned and prevented Kai and Sky from interfering in the match, allowing Lynch to defeat Bayley. Lynch and Lita then defeated Kai and Sky on the February 27 episode to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, thanks to returning fellow Hall of Famer, Trish Stratus, who prevented Bayley from interfering. The following week, Stratus, who had retired at SummerSlam in 2019, stated that she was coming out of retirement so that she, Lynch, and Lita could challenge Damage CTRL to a six-woman tag team match at WrestleMania 39 and Damage CTRL accepted.

Hell in a Cell Match Edge v Finn Balor

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

At WrestleMania 38, Edge won his match thanks to a distraction from Damian Priest. The two then formed a faction named The Judgment Day. Over the next couple of months, Rhea Ripley and Finn Bálor would also be added to the group. In June, however, Bálor, Priest, and Ripley turned on Edge, kicking him out of the group. In September, The Judgment Day recruited Dominik Mysterio. Edge continued his feud with The Judgment Day over the next few months, and he and his wife Beth Phoenix teamed up to defeat Bálor and Ripley at Elimination Chamber. On the following episode of Raw, Edge, who felt his feud with The Judgment Day was over, lost his United States Championship match after interference from Bálor. The following week, Bálor said their feud was not done and challenged Edge to a match at WrestleMania 39. On the following week's episode, Edge interfered in Bálor's match, causing him to lose, and Edge challenged Bálor to meet him alone on the next episode.[55] There, the two agreed to a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania 39, and Edge said he wanted to face Bálor's "Demon" persona.

Women's WrestleMania Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Showcase Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez v Natayla & Shotzi v Shayna Baszler & Ronda Rousey v Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

On the March 17 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that at WrestleMania 39, there would be two WrestleMania Showcase matches, which would be fatal four-way tag team matches, with one each for the men and women. Qualifying matches for the women's Showcase began that night. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez qualified first by defeating Tegan Nox and Emma. The following week, Natalya and Shotzi qualified by defeating Xia Li and Lacey Evans, and after the match, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were added, bypassing a qualifier match. No qualifying matches were held for the men's Showcase as all four teams were announced on March 20: Braun Strowman and Ricochet, The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar), The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis).

Men's WrestleMania Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Showcase Braun Strowman & Ricochet v The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) v The Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) v The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

On the March 17 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that at WrestleMania 39, there would be two WrestleMania Showcase matches, which would be fatal four-way tag team matches, with one each for the men and women. Qualifying matches for the women's Showcase began that night. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez qualified first by defeating Tegan Nox and Emma. The following week, Natalya and Shotzi qualified by defeating Xia Li and Lacey Evans, and after the match, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler were added, bypassing a qualifier match. No qualifying matches were held for the men's Showcase as all four teams were announced on March 20: Braun Strowman and Ricochet, The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar), The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis).

Tag Team Match for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Titles The Usos (Jey & Jimmy Uso) (c) v Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

The story so far (via Wikipedia)

Since late 2020, Kevin Owens had an off and on feud with The Bloodline. At Survivor Series WarGames in November 2022, Owens was on the opposing team in a WarGames match against The Bloodline, which included Owens' best friend, Sami Zayn, who joined The Bloodline as an honorary member in mid-2022. The Bloodline was victorious at Survivor Series thanks to Zayn betraying Owens. After Bloodline leader Roman Reigns defeated Owens at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Bloodline members The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) and Solo Sikoa attacked Owens, while Zayn watched on in uncertainty. Reigns ordered Zayn to attack Owens with a steel chair, but Zayn turned on Reigns and attacked him instead. Zayn apologized to Jey, who he had become close with, only for Jimmy, Sikoa, and Reigns to attack Zayn as an emotionally distraught Jey left the ring as the rest of The Bloodline continued the assault. This led to a match between Reigns and Zayn at Elimination Chamber where Reigns won, but after the match, Owens prevented The Bloodline (except Jey) from further attacking Zayn. On the following Raw, Zayn said that despite their rough history, he and Owens should work together to take down The Bloodline. Owens said that he only assisted Zayn so that Zayn's family would not have to see him get destroyed like Owens did in front of his own family at the Royal Rumble and he told Zayn he would continue fighting alone. Over the next weeks, Zayn tried to convince The Usos that Reigns was manipulating them. Jimmy maintained his loyalty to his family, while Jey's uncertainty continued until the March 6 episode of Raw where he seemingly sided with Zayn, but then turned on him, because Zayn was not family. The following week, Reigns' WrestleMania opponent Cody Rhodes attempted to help resolve issues between Owens and Zayn, but Owens refused; however, later that night, Owens came to Zayn's aid, who got ambushed by The Usos, and Owens and Zayn embraced. On the March 20 episode of Raw, The Usos accepted Owens and Zayn's challenge for a match at WrestleMania 39 for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.

Singles Match Rey Mysterio v Dominik Mysterio

The story so far (via Wikipedia) 

Rey Mysterio would also have his own issues with The Judgment Day, which only heightened when his own son Dominik turned on him to join Judgment Day at Clash at the Castle in September 2022.[63] Rey refused to fight his own son and was about to quit WWE, but he was convinced to stay, and he was traded to the SmackDown brand to avoid Judgment Day on Raw. However, their paths would cross again at the Royal Rumble. Rey was supposed to compete in the men's Royal Rumble match, but he never came out when his entrance music played. Dominik then entered, carrying Rey's mask, implying that he attacked his dad to prevent him from entering. With Judgment Day's Rhea Ripley winning the women's Royal Rumble and choosing to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, the group began appearing on SmackDown, thus Dominik began tormenting his dad again. On the March 10 episode, after it was announced that Rey would be the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023, The Judgment Day interrupted and Dominik said his dad did not deserve the recognition. The following week, an emotional Rey said he wanted Dominik by his side for his Hall of Fame induction, but Dominik instead tried goading Rey into a match at WrestleMania 39. Rey, however, affirmed his position that he would not fight his son. On the March 24 episode, the Mysterio family were in attendance for Rey's match, which he lost thanks to interference from Dominik. Afterwards, Dominik disrespected his mother and sister, forcing Rey to intervene and hit Dominik. Rey then stated that Dominik forced him to do so and accepted his challenge for a match at WrestleMania 39.

[dalekofchaos]

Why Rhea should squash Charlotte at Wrestlemania 39

Rhea should squash Charlotte.

I get WWE wants them to main event night one, but that is not the direction it should take since WWE have done the bare minimum in this feud.

Rhea has been built up like a monster since joining The Judgement Day. Anyone who comes in her way, they are taken out. Not just the women who are thrown at the eradicator but men too. She doesn't need a competitive match with Charlotte because Rhea is already able to compete with men and take them out.

Want to rectify the shitty fucking booking from 3 years ago? Simple answer. Rhea squashes Charlotte.

Not everything needs to be a competitive match, not everyone needs to be booked strong and Charlotte doesn't always need to be protected. Rhea and Charlotte already HAD competitive matches. And honestly the women don't always have to main event Wrestlemania. Sami and KO vs The Usos should main event Night 1 because the story is more important.

Here is the opportunity to make up for what you idiots did at Wrestlemania 36. You want to show everyone that Rhea is a monster and a force to be reckoned with like she fucking should've been to begin with? Rhea TKO's Charlotte in minutes and finally recitifies what should never have happened. The Eradicator is made a star and present her as a monster.

Just saying. You wouldn't have fucking Sable have a competitive match with Chyna.

They should basically either do a Rocky 3 where Charlotte is all cocky and all mighty and then Rhea either knocks her ass out or makes her tap out or pull this with Rhea and Charlotte

[cavenewstimes]

AEW Collision’s Late-Night Success: Ratings Climb Amidst WrestleMania Weekend

One Big Thing “AEW Collision” achieved a significant viewership milestone on Saturday, navigating a late-night slot to its best performance since early February, amidst the buzz of WrestleMania weekend. Key Highlights The show aired at an unusual time, 11:48 PM, due to NCAA Men’s Basketball but capitalized on the situation. Viewership reached 463K, with a notable 36% increase in the 18-49…

[thethedifferentone]

𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘁𝗰. 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶'𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶'𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁.

 "The All Mighty" Bobby Lashley puts his WWE Championship on the line against The New Day's Kofi Kingston at WWE Money in the Bank: Courtesy of Peacock and WWE Network. Stream WWE on Peacock https://pck.tv/3l4d8TP in the U.S. and on WWE Network http://wwe.yt/wwenetwork everywhere else ------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow WWE on YouTube for more exciting action! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to WWE on YouTube: http://wwe.yt/ Check out WWE.com for news and updates: http://goo.gl/akf0J4 Watch WWE on Sony in India: http://www.wwe.com/SonySportsNetwork Find the latest Superstar gear at WWEShop: shop.wwe.com ------------------------------------------- Check out our other channels! ------------------------------------------- The Bella Twins: https://www.youtube.com/thebellatwins UpUpDownDown: https://www.youtube.com/upupdowndown WWEMusic: https://www.youtube.com/wwemusic Total Divas: https://www.youtube.com/wwetotaldivas ---------------------------------- WWE on Social Media ---------------------------------- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wwe Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wwe/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/RealWWE Giphy: https://giphy.com/wwe ---------------------------------- WWE Podcasts ---------------------------------- After the Bell with Corey Graves: https://wwe.com/afterthebell The New Day: Feel the Power: https://wwe.com/feelthepower Uncool with Alexa Bliss: https://wwe.com/uncoolwithalexa

_______________________________________________________ FAVORITE BOBBY LASHLEY MATCHES EVER •  Bobby Lashley vs The Demon Balor | WRESTLEMANIA 35 •  Bobby Lashley vs Kofi Kingstons | MONEY IN THE IN THE BANK •  Bobby Lashley vs Drew Mcintyre | WRESTLEMANIA 37 •  Bobby Lahley vs Drew Mcintyre |  HELL IN A CELL 2021 •  Bobby Lashley vs Drew Mcintyre | WRESTLEMANIA BACKLASH •  Bobby Lashley vs Sheamus | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW •  Bobby Lashley vs Brock Lesnar | ROYAL RUMBLE 2022 •  Bobby Lashley vs Rollins vs Ambrose | MONDAY NIGHT RAW •  Bobby Lahley vs Seth Rollins | WWE CROWN JEWEL 2018 •  Bobby Lashley vs Goldberg | SUMMERSLAM 2021 •  Bobby Lashley vs Keith Lee | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW •  Bobby Lashley vs Aleister Black | WRESTLEMANIA 36 •  Bobby Lashley vs Jeff Hardy | IMPACT WRESTLING •  Bobby Lashley vs Apollo Crews | PAYBACK 2020 •  Bobby Lashley vs Big e vs Roman | MONDAY NIGHT RAW •  Bobby Lashley vs Finn Balor | WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW FAVORITE BROCK LESNAR MATCHES EVER •  Brock Lesnar vs John Cena | SUMMERSLAM  2014 •  Brock Lesnar vs Big Show | WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2014 •  Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley | ROYAL RUMBLE 2022 •  Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker | WRESTLEMANIA 30 •  Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns | WRESTLEMANIA 31 •  Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg | WRESTLEMANIA 33 •  Brock Lesnar vs Cena vs Rollins | ROYAL RUMBLE 2015 •  Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles | WWE SURIVOR SEIRES 2017 •  Brock Lesnar vs Daniel Bryan | SURVIVOR SERIES 2018 •  Brock Lesnar vs Strowman vs Kane | ROYAL RUMBLE

 MY SOCIAL MEDIA | CONTACT INFO : https://linktr.ee/thedifferentonesoon

★SEND ME SOMETHING★ The Different One PO BOX 8320 SW 27th Street Miramar FL 33025 📥Business inquiry? Email: thedifferentoneofficial@gmail.com

[cassia-creates]

this is a sami zayn appreciation household tonight

[caramara3]

Anybody else notice that damn near everyone that's sung America the Beautiful is a person of color??

Like minus Willie Nelson??

[indiejones]

INDIES TOP 36 SHOW-WRESTLERS OF ALL TIME !

✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪

 To all guys, who've spent some of their best free teenage times, the good old (very young) days, glued to Monday Night Raw, Smackdown, Wrestlemania, Summerslam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, etc etc. If there is one thing America is an absolute authority on, it is action cinema! (Ok ok also basketball) And what better more authentic yet safe action, than make-believe sport! - Ie SHOW-WRESTLING! And so, a small tribute to the entt millions like me have grown up watching, from an era that seems may sadly never come back, "WWE's (WWF then) ATTITUDE ERA" .... So top of the line was the action, yet equally importantly so mesmerizing & uplifting the scripting & acting, from legends of that era, will go down in history as a time when the supposed "Rung below Hollywood" convincingly beat the big boys at their own game, BIG TIME ! Here's a small Indie tribute to that magical 1.5-2 decades of American Show-Wrestling, incl entire 90's, YOU'LL LOVE! INDIE'S TOP 36 SHOW-WRESTLERS OF ALL TIME ! 

PS. Of course, this per Indie way, being an all-encompassing 'Historic' list, includes few legends from before the "Attitude era" too (and some from after it too, like our very own legend of legends "Khali"!!!!), who despite not being from the consciously spicier times, exhibited histrionics worthy of an all-time slot ! 

 And here it is !

 1. "The Ultimate Warrior" Jim Hellwig 

2. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels 

3. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin 

4. Jake "The Snake" Roberts 

5. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper 

6. Bret "The Hitman" Hart

 7. "The Undertaker" Mark Calaway 

8. "The Iron Sheik" Khosrow Vaziri

 9. Andre "The Giant" Rene Roussimoff

 10. "Sycho" Sid Eudy 

11. "Mankind" "Cactus Jack" "Dude Love" Mick Foley 

12. Tony Norris "Ahmed Johnson" 

13. "Vader" Leon White 

14. "Sting" Steve Borden 

15. "Kane" Glenn Jacobs 

16. Owen Hart 

17. Dustin Rhodes "Goldust" 

18. Mr. T 

19. "The Great Khali" Dalip Singh Rana 

20. "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes 

21. "Hulk Hogan" Terry Bollea 

22. "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith 

23. "One Man Gang" "Akeem" George Gray 

24. "Classie" Freddie Blassie 

25. "Bradshaw" John Layfield 

26. "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka 

27. "World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry 

28. "Bam Bam Bigelow" 

29. "Rey Mysterio" 

30. "Dino Bravo" Adolfo Bresciano 

31. "Yokozuna" 

32. "Val Venis" Sean Morley 

33. "World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock 

34. "Gangrel" David Heath 

35. "Molly Holly" Nora Greenwald 

36. Rob Van Dam .

And reliving these childhood thrills will stay incomplete, w/o acknowledging the 3 bts legends that brought this spectacle to brilliant light & full glory, day in & day out in front of the whole wide world - Jim Ross, Jerry "The King" Lawler & WWE Owner Vince McMahon! 

 ✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪✨💪

[itsadamcole]

handsome stranger

fem!reader x drew mcintyre

Drew has just moved next door to the reader and noticed her sitting in the window alone on Christmas Eve watching the snow fall ... "hi, i couldn't help but notice you were alone."

word count: 3.8k+

warnings: soft smut, some fluff, cute moments, idrk what else

— day fourrr. i’m doing good and trying my best here to get one christmas / holiday / winter themed imagine up everyday. feel free to send in any requests if you want one written —

masterlist || request an imagine here

~ 18+ content below - read at your own risk ~

You sit on the little window sill in your living room, holding a mug of hot chocolate in your hand. You watch as the snow falls from the sky.

Snow is so beautiful. Especially the fluffy white kind. It makes everything shimmer and sparkle, and it's the only thing that makes the holiday season bearable.

Your knees are pulled up to your chest and your arms are wrapped around your knees. You're wearing your comfortable Christmas pajamas, considering it is Christmas Eve.

Christmas music plays in the background as you remember the times you spent dancing with your fiancée in the living room, lit only by the fireplace. Now, you sit alone, with the only light coming from the fireplace.

It's been three years since he left, but it hurts knowing that you spent seven Christmases and seven New Years with him just for him to leave you for someone he met at the gym.

You watch as a silhouette walks alone in the snow on the sidewalk outside of your house. The silhouette stops at the stairs leading up to your house.

The silhouette walks up the stairs and as it gets closer, you realize that it's about six foot five with jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie. You get up when the doorbell to your house rings.

After setting the mug of hot chocolate down on the coffee table, you walk to the front door. You open it, revealing a very handsome stranger. He says, "Hi, I couldn't help but notice ya were alone."

He has an accent but you can't put a finger on where it could be from. You lean against the door as you try to figure out what kind of accent he has and say, "It's not unusual."

"No one should be alone on Christmas," the handsome stranger says.

You blink and say, "You're alone on Christmas. Well, you were walking alone, anyway."

He laughs a little bit and says, "That I was. I like the snow. It's peaceful and reminds me a lot about Scotland."

That accent did sound a lot like a Scottish accent but you weren't sure. It has an American twist to it though.

"Scotland," you echo. "You're a little far from home."

The handsome stranger nods and says, "I am. I just moved in, right over there." He points to the house right next to yours. "I can't afford to fly back home this year because I just bought the house so I am also alone this Christmas."

You look back at your empty house and say, "I just made hot chocolate if you'd like to come in. Maybe we don't actually have to be alone this Christmas. It'd be a nice change actually." You move to the side.

He flashes you a kind smile and walks into the house. You close the door, rubbing your arms to warm them up. You walk back into the kitchen, pouring a mug of hot chocolate for your guest. "Would you like marshmallows or whipped cream?" you ask.

"Whipped cream sounds nice," he says. "Thank ya." You nod and put some whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate in the mug. You offer him the mug and he takes a sip.

The hot chocolate is more lukewarm than hot so he won't burn his tongue.

After he sips the hot chocolate, he has whipped cream in his mustache and on his nose. You giggle a bit and say, "Um, you have whipped cream on your nose."

"Oh," he says. "Do I?"

You smile and say, "Here. Let me get it." You grab a clean cloth off the counter and wipe away the whipped cream. "There. It's gone now."

The handsome stranger smiles down at you and says, "Thank ya."

You put the cloth down and give him a little nod before leaving the kitchen and walking into the living room to grab your mug. The nameless but handsome stranger follows you.

"I never caught your name," you point out as you turn to face him.

He laughs softly before saying, "I never threw it, but it's Drew. Drew McIntyre."

You smile and say, "Y/N L/N. How long have you lived here? I can tell you have an American accent mixed with the Scottish accent."

Drew sips his hot chocolate and says, "I've lived here off and on since the better part of thirteen years or so, since 2007."

You've sat down on the couch by this point. Drew joins you as you ask, "What do you do that keeps you in America?"

Hesitantly, he says, "I'm a professional wrestler for WWE. I'm actually WWE Champion right now."

"WWE," you echo. "My brother has always wanted to wrestle for WWE and has gone to every tryout but never got signed. He's in Ring of Honor and PWG right now. I've never been into wrestling. I'm more of a softball person. I played in college."

Drew says, "Maybe I get help get yer brother through the door in WWE. I might be able to get him signed to at least NXT but he's gotta prove himself."

You smile and say, "You'd do that for him?"

The handsome stranger nods as he takes another sip of his drink. "Yeah," he says. "I'd like to see him wrestle though so I know that he can actually wrestle."

"He'd love that," you say. "Thank you. I'll call him tomorrow."

Drew nods and says, "Of course."

You smile and take another sip of your hot chocolate.

It's quiet for a few moments before Drew asks, "What do ya do? Like work-wise."

"I'm a fashion designer," you say. "For Gucci. It's a job that I love and it's kept me sane in the past few years. I'd like to open my own shop one day."

He takes a sip of his hot chocolate and says, "That sounds like a lot of fun. Ya must have a very creative mind in that pretty head of yers."

Your face heats up a bit and you say, "Yeah, you can say that." You let out a light laugh. "I try to be creative, anyway."

Drew looks at you for a second before an idea pops into his head and he asks, "Would ya like to design some new ring fer me? I've been needing some new gear and have never really found anyone that I'd trust enough to design some new gear."

You raise your eyebrows at the Scot and say, "You just met me and have already offered to help my brother get into WWE and now you're asking me to help design new ring gear for you? I don't know you well enough to design gear for you."

The handsome stranger says, "It's just an offer. Ya don't have to take it."

"I'd love to but I'd like to get to know you a little bit more before I design anything," you say.

He smiles and says, "I can agree with that. We have all night."

You smile and echo, "All night."

Honestly, you don't mind spending all night with Drew. All night with Drew is better than being alone. Especially on Christmas.

The two of you sip hot chocolate for hours. He explains his journey to the WWE, getting fired then working his way back to WWE, becoming NXT Champion and eventually WWE Champion. It's a long journey but his hard work paid off in the end.

You explain how you got into designing and everything. You always were into fashion and clothes. You majored in fashion design in college while minoring in business and accounting. You omit the part about having a fiancée and him leaving you three years ago.

Drew listens to every word you say and you answer every question he has. You do the same to him, and he answers every question you have for him.

After about two hours of sitting and talking, Drew asks the question you've been dreading.

"What made ya end up alone on Christmas? Don't ya have family?" he asks.

You sigh and say, "I lost both my parents when I was in college in an accident. I have no aunts or uncles or cousins. I have my brother but he's married with kids. I had a fiancée but he left three years ago so I've kind of just been alone on Christmas since."

He waits until you're done talking to say anything.

Once you've said all that you want to, Drew says, "Ya have just been through the wringer, haven't ya?"

You scoff a bit and say, "Through the wringer is an understatement."

Drew asks, "What can I do to help? I can't imagine how ya feel with it being Christmas and ya sitting here alone in this house."

You stare at Drew and say, "You want to help me?"

The handsome stranger nods and says, "Name it and I'll make it happen."

You think for a moment before you say, "Show me some of your matches. I want to see you wrestle. Distract me."

He smiles and pulls up one of his matches on his phone. You move closer to him so you can see easier. It's from Wrestlemania 36. Night two.

"This was when I won my title for the first time," he explains as both his and his opponent's entrances are made. "It's my favorite and the most important match of my career."

You watch as he wins the match and the title in about five minutes. You're a little distracted by the fact that he's wearing practically nothing.

Drew looks at you occasionally as you watch to see your eyes fixated on him on the screen, almost watching in awe. He smiles a bit.

Once the Wrestlemania match is over, he puts on the Royal Rumble match. You ask, "What's this match?"

"It's the match I had to win to face the WWE Champion at the time at Wrestlemania," he explains as it starts. "If I won, which I did, then I can challenge whichever champion I'd like. I chose Brock Lesnar and the WWE Championship."

You watch the long match. When Drew enters, you find yourself biting your lip. You can't help it. He's attractive when he's in the ring. He's attractive just sitting in a hoodie and jeans beside you.

Around entry number 25, you look up at Drew. He's looking down at you.

"You should show me some of these moves one day," you say quietly. His face is close to yours because of how close you are sitting to him.

He smiles a bit and asks, "Which ones?"

You meet his eyes and say, "The ones where you'd pin me to something." Drew's tongue swipes across his bottom lip.

Your heart rate has picked up as you get closer and closer to kissing the handsome stranger.

Drew's voice drops a tone and says, "Now, now, Miss L/N. We've only just met."

He just got a thousand times more attractive by doing that with his voice. Not to mention he's the most selfless human you've ever met. He's obviously very kind. He saw you were alone and offered to spend all night with you.

All this has happened in a span of three or four hours.

You tilt your head up and say, "I said to distract me." You bite your bottom lip gently.

"That's very true," he says, putting his phone down. The eye contact continues.

Drew licks his bottom lip again as the tension continues to build between the two of you. Your heart continues to race in your chest.

You have no idea what's about to happen but it's been three years since you've been this close to anyone. You won't mind whatever comes next.

Your voice has almost dropped to a whisper. "So," you say. "How about showing me some of these moves?"

Drew gives a little smirk before, in one swift movement, he gets you on your back. He's straddling your waist and pinning your wrists to the couch. You stare at him with wide eyes.

"Woah," you gasp.

He laughs a bit and says, "Ya did ask me to show ya some of the moves where I pin ya."

You say, "Mhm. I did ask you to do that."

Drew smiles and gets off of you. You sit up and face him.

An idea pops into your head and you literally pounce on Drew, pinning him on his back on the couch. You know he could very easily flip you over so you try to put all your weight onto him. All 130 pounds of you.

"Hm," he says. "Not too bad."

You giggle and say, "My brother did practice on me a little bit. Just a little bit."

He smiles and says, "I know a move that he definitely didn't practice on ya."

You raise your eyebrows and ask, "What would that be?"

Drew leans up and kisses you. You gasp a little bit before kissing him back.

As you share the kiss with Drew, he rolls so he's pinning you to the couch again. You stare up at him, pouting. "That's not fair," you whine. "I was distracted."

He laughs and says, "Ya told me to distract ya."

You pout some more as Drew looks down at you. "You can't just kiss someone then pin them to the couch," you say.

The kiss was something you haven't experienced since your fiancée left. Yes, you've kissed people since your fiancée said goodbye but none of those kisses felt like the kiss you just shared with Drew.

Speaking of Drew, he sits up and pulls you up with him. You throw your legs across his lap and look at him.

"Can I kiss ya again?" he asks. "So I can make it up to ya?"

You say, "You don't have to ask to kiss me, Drew."

Drew's lips come down to yours. The kiss is as soft and as slow as it was before. Hesitantly, you put your hands on his face, cupping his cheek.

That's when you feel the soft ache in your core from Drew pinning you to the couch. It was so hot. You could barely contain yourself when he pinned you not once but twice to the couch.

One of Drew's hands rests on your thigh extremely close to your core. You take his hand and pull back from the kiss. You both look at his hand in yours before you move his hand so it's resting on your core.

Hopefully, the handsome stranger can't feel how wet you are for him over your pajama pants.

"What do ya want, Y/N?" he asks softly, his accent thick. "Tell me what ya want."

You meet his eyes and say, "I want you to kiss me, touch me. I want you."

That's all Drew needs to hear before he pulls you onto his lap. You straddle his thighs and your lips are on his. You gently grind against him, a soft groan escaping his lips into your mouth.

Your hands snake up the front of Drew's hoodie. You find he's wearing just the hoodie on his upper body. You can feel his toned stomach and hairy chest. You run your fingers down his chest before you decide to pull off his hoodie.

Drew helps you pull off the piece of clothing. As soon as it's off, you press kisses to his neck and chest. His fingers run through your hair.

His fingers have found their way up the back of your shirt, pushing the fabric up. Nervously, you pull off your pajama shirt, fully exposing your upper body to Drew.

You watch as his tongue swipes across his bottom lip as he eyes your naked upper body.

This is very nerve-wracking. You haven't been with anyone since your fiancé left. This is the first time you've even been half-naked around anyone else.

Drew sees your hands begin to shake and he takes them in his. "We don't have to do anything, Y/N," he says, meeting your eyes.

"No I want to," you say, sighing. "It's just, I haven't been with anyone like this in years. It's making me nervous."

He smiles at you and says, "Ya don't have to be nervous, Y/N. I don't bite unless ya ask of course."

Smiling, you say, "I might just take you up on that." Your nerves begin to wash away as Drew leans up, kissing you passionately. His hands are on your bare lower back, pushing you into him and holding you there.

"Drew," you mumble. "Let's not make a mess on my cushions."

He pulls back and asks, "Take this upstairs?"

You nod. He picks you up as he stands up. You giggle and wraps your legs around his waist and your arms around his neck. You leave soft kisses on his chest as he carries you upstairs.

Drew asks, "Which room?"

You look behind you and say, "The door at the end of the hallway. That's my room."

He walks quickly to your room before he walks in, quickly but carefully dropping you on the bed. You sit up and start to undo his belt and the button on his jeans before you pull the jeans down.

Drew is straining against his boxer shorts. You look up at him with your eyes before you trace his erect member over the thin piece of fabric.

You hook your fingers in the waistband of his boxers before slowly pulling the fabric down. You watch as his member pops out of the boxers, slapping up against his stomach. Your eyes widen as you wonder how you're going to take all of Drew.

Drew runs his fingers through your hair as he stands in front of you. You glance up at him before you take him in your hand. You lick his tip before starting to take him in your mouth.

Slowly, you bob your head up and down, going a little deeper every time you go down. Your hands are on his thighs and groans escape his lips as you start to suck.

His fingers run through your hair as he begins to thrust into your mouth slowly. You groan softly as he hits the back of your throat. Your nails dig into the skin on his thighs as you move your head.

After a few minutes of this, Drew pulls himself out of your mouth. He leans down and presses a kiss to your saliva covered lips. It was a messy job that made saliva drip down your chin and cover your lips.

He pushes you onto your back and gets on his knees at the foot of your bed. Drew hooks his fingers into the waistband of your pajama pants and panties before he pulls them off of you. You throw your legs over his shoulders as he kisses your thighs, moving closer and closer to your soaked folds.

You hold onto the blankets on your bed as Drew kisses your wet core. You sigh softly and arch your back off the bed.

Drew's tongue runs through your folds before he slips a finger into you. You moan softly as he pumps his finger in and out of you. He sucks on your clit and you moan louder, your hands finding their way into his long hair. You grip lightly as Drew adds a second finger.

"Drew," you moan. "Please."

He looks up at you with his eyes and asks, "Please what?"

You look down at him and say, "I need something other than your fingers. Please."

You pull lightly at his hair, wanting him on top of you. He smirks before taking his fingers out of you, making you whine slightly as you watch him step out of his jeans.

"Um," he says. "Protection."

Right. Protection. "Top drawer in the table next to the bed," you say. He nods and walks over to your bedside table. You move backward and sit up. Drew pulls a tiny shiny blue package out of the drawer, opening it up and sliding the contents on his member.

Drew crawls over to you and kisses you. You can taste yourself on his lips as he moves, laying on top of you between your legs. He positions himself outside of you and pulls back from the kiss.

He looks down at you and asks, "Do ya really want this?"

Nodding, you say, "I do. I really want this. I really want you."

After leaning down and kissing you again, he slowly slides himself into you. You moan into the kiss as he slides himself deeper into you.

Drew puts his hands on either side of your head and props himself up with his arms, breaking away from the kiss. You stare up at the Scotsman as he starts to thrust into you. You gasp and moan, gripping onto his arms and digging your nails into the skin on his arm.

His thrusts get faster and deeper into you. Your moans get louder and your back arches off the bed.

It's when he starts to slam into your g-spot you start to scream his name. Your hips chase his and your moans are loud.

"Drew!" you moan. "Don't stop, oh God. Please don't stop. Please."

You feel him start to get faster as your legs start to shake, being pulled closer and closer to your orgasm. You make a little 'O' with your mouth and Drew kisses your neck, marking it up a little bit.

Drew grunts and groans on top of you as his thrusts get harder. He continues slamming into your g-spot, making you moan louder than you have before. "God, Drew," you almost scream. "I'm close."

He mumbles against the skin on your neck, saying, "Come with me, Y/N. In three, two." Both of you release before he gets to one. You both moan out profanities and you moan Drew's name.

You lay on your back and catch your breath. That was amazing. You had no idea that Drew could do that.

A layer of sweat has formed on both of you as Drew rolls off of you, pulling off the condom and tying it off before throwing it away. You crawl under the blankets and Drew joins you.

"I never want to be alone on Christmas ever again after that," you sigh out, finally catching your breath.

Drew looks over at you and says, "Ya don't have to be. Next year, come over to my place and we can make a mess on my bed instead of you."

You giggle and press a soft kiss to Drew's lips, cuddling up to him and soon falling asleep in his arms.

[celestial-thoughts]

"You have something beautiful inside of you.”

Fandom: WWE (set post Wrestlemania 36) Pairing(s): Shayna/Dakota Prompts used: "Cry, yell, whatever - I’m not gonna leave your side." + "Just let it all out." + "You have something beautiful inside of you. It’s hard for some people to tell, but it’s there."

Dakota knows that Shayna needs her space. Her career had been on such a good path until Wrestlemania. But all it took was one match to change everything. It doesn't help that Shayna had to essentially relive it all when it aired. Dakota is trying her best to comfort Shayna, but she's at a loss. There's not much else that she can do to help her, besides continuing to try to comfort her.

It's been three days since Wrestlemania 36 aired, and Shayna hasn't said more than a few words to anyone in the house. She knows that she's being a bitch, but she can't help it. It was a stupid mistake. If she had just thought a little faster, she would be the champion. She knows that if she tries to have an actual conversation with anyone in the house, she'll lash out and say something she'll regret. So instead, she opts for isolation. The most interaction she has with another person for three days is when she and Dakota make small talk about Dakota’s day as they get ready for bed each night.

Finally, on the fourth day, Dakota turns to Shayna, who is currently curled up on their bed, pretending to read a book. Dakota can tell she isn't actually reading, because she hasn't turned a page in the past 20 minutes. Dakota sighs. "Alright, I can't take this anymore," she says.

Shayna looks up from her book. "What are you talking about?" she asks.

"This," Dakota says, gesturing to Shayna. "What happened to you, Shayna?"

"You know what happened," Shayna says, trying to remember to breathe so she doesn't lash out at Dakota.

Dakota shakes her head. "You've lost matches before, Shayna. And you've never shut down like this. What happened?" Shayna looks down, and Dakota holds out her arms. "It's okay. You can talk to me."

Shayna hesitates for a moment. But Dakota’s sweet hazel eyes are enough to make her melt, and she lets herself fall into her arms. As soon as Dakota’s arms wrap around her, Shayna feels all of the emotions that have been building up for weeks spilling over, and she starts to cry.

"I'm sorry," Shayna manages to whimper through her tears. She hates his, hates how small and weak she feels. And she despises the fact that there's nothing she can do about it.

But Dakota just rubs her back soothingly. "Just let it all out," she says in a soft voice.

At one point, Dakota shifts on the bed and Shayna clings to her tightly. "Don't leave me," she says in a small, terrified voice.

"I'm not going anywhere," Dakota says reassuringly, pulling Shayna close to her. "Cry, yell, whatever - I’m not gonna leave your side."

Shayna isn't sure how long she cries. But eventually, the tears stop falling. Dakota keeps holding her, and Shayna melts into her arms. "I'm sorry," she says again, and Dakota can feel her heart break a little a how small Shayna's voice sounds.

"Shayna, you have nothing to apologize for," Dakota says softly, as she pulls Shayna closer to her and presses a kiss to her forehead.

Shayna shakes her head. "Yes I do," she says, arms wrapped around Dakota tightly. "I've been a bitch lately."

"You haven't been a bitch," Dakota says. "You've been hurting, and that's okay. But you don't have to push everyone away from you."

Shayna can feel the tears starting to form again. "I didn't think anyone would care about how I was feeling," she admits. "And I didn't want to lash out at anyone."

"First of all, no one would blame you for lashing out," Dakota says. "And Shayna, of course we care about how you're feeling," she says. "So many people care about you. Jess and Mia have been worried about you for days. If it weren't for the pandemic, Ronda would have flown out here to be with you."

"Really?" Shayna asks, surprised.

Dakota nods. "And I care about you. I care about you so much, and I just wanted to help you. I've seen you hurting. And I know life sucks right now, Shay. But this isn't the end of the road for you. I promise."

Shayna looks at Dakota. "How do you know?" she asks.

"Because I know you," Dakota says. "And I know that you won't let this stop you. No matter what anyone says, you are a special kind of human being. Not just in the ring or in the cage, but in life." She reaches out and tucks a stray piece of hair behind Shayna's ear. "I love you. Win or lose, champion or not."

"I don't know why you still love me," Shayna says, looking down at the blankets on the bed. "You deserve someone who can actually win a title."

Dakota lets out a small laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Shayna, look at me," she says. Shayna slowly lifts her head, locking eyes with Dakota. "You can win titles. I've seen you do it. But the love I have for you isn't based on whether or not you have a belt. It's based on the kind of person you are."

"And what kind of person is that?" Shayna asks quietly.

"Someone who is strong and brave. Someone who isn't afraid to say what she really thinks, and doesn't care what anyone else has to say about it. Someone who values loyalty and trust, and who will do anything for the people she cares about. And someone who will never go down without a fight, who never gives up." Dakota pauses, looking into Shayna's brown eyes. "You have something beautiful inside of you. It’s hard for some people to tell, but it’s there."

Shayna hugs Dakota close to her. "I love you," she says.

"I love you too," Dakota says. "No matter what happens, no matter how many times you win or lose. I'll always love you."

[dimitrescus-bitch]

36 (Rhea Ripley x Reader)

“Are you ready to do this?” Becky asked you as the two of you waited to go out. This WrestleMania was super weird, but you were glad that you were getting your title shot. Tonight you’d become Raw Women’s Champion and then on Monday you’d make your first main roster appearance. 

“I think so,” you said and Becky patted your back. She was about to say something when she backed away. You were going to ask what that was about, but then you felt Rhea’s arms wrap around you. You turned and kissed her, so excited about tonight. You hadn’t been at WWE for as long as your girlfriend, but you had made your impression on the world of professional wrestling. You’d been at AEW, Impact, and several other promotions around the world, all before you had turned 30. 

“Don’t break a hip,” Rhea teased and you rolled your eyes. “Seriously, that’s gonna be my job on your birthday.” 

“I hate you so much. I hope Charlotte makes you tap,” you teased and Rhea ruffled your hair a bit. Luckily, your look was sort of messy, so it worked. You went out for your match against Becky and it was longer than you’d expected. You really had to pull out the good moves and it was harder to sell without a crowd. However, in the end, you were sure you’d done a good job, especially when they crowned you champion. 

Backstage, you were met with congratulations and Rhea waiting with open arms. She hadn’t said anything at first, just kissed you. You kissed her back and a photographer came to take some pictures of the two of you. The two of you went home and Rhea treated you like a queen that night. The next night, you were with her up until she went out for her match against Charlotte. 

“You look nervous,” Becky told you. “She’ll do fine. I’m the one coming home with a sore loser.” 

“Charlotte’s not losing, she’s helping bring attention to newer talent. It’s what she lives for,” you said and Becky nodded. “She’ll be sad, but she’s got you. Just like if Rhea wasn’t set to win, I’d comfort her.” 

“You two are lucky that you have each other and don’t let anybody let you think otherwise,” Becky said and you nodded. You watched Rhea’s match closely on the monitor and when she got Charlotte to tap, you cheered. Rhea kept her championship title and the two of you got to be champions together. “Congrats Ripley.” 

“Thank you,” Rhea said. As congratulations went around, you stayed by her side. The two of you snuck away together and shared celebratory catering cookies before you went back to watch the rest of the show. That night, you went home, let Rhea have whatever she wanted that night, and then in the morning got up bright and early to prepare for your first night on RAW.

[timeandspacenovelist]

Rhea Ripley Appreciation Week

Day One -> Fave Gear -> Vegeta Inspired (WrestleMania 36 Night 2)

I suppose this was to be expected but I don't think you can go wrong with choosing this gear as your favorite, as I have done myself. Such a departure from her normal type of gear with the white top and bright blue pants and gold belts. It may not have worked out for her at the show, but she looked damn good doing it and I hope she brings it back in some form.

[dalekofchaos]

Ronda vs Charlotte WM38 will be a disaster

I have so little interest in the Charlotte and Ronnie feud that I fully expect the crowd to turn on them both. It will be the modern day Brock Lesnar vs Goldber at Wrestlemania XX

Becky vs Bianca is what SHOULD main event Wrestlemania 38 Night 1. It has more build up, actual investment in Bianca’s redemption, Becky has gotten edgier and her as the heel is more believable now and there is actual emotion. Now we want to see Bianca turn the tides against Becky after Becky’s vicious assault last night. Like Charlotte and Ronda have done nothing to elevate their feud like Bianca and Becky.

Having Charlotte and Ronda main event would be a mistake, and honestly I do not want to see it at all.

Charlotte’s reign of terror has been abysmal. I still have not forgiven her for squashing Rhea Ripley’s momentum at Wrestlemania 36 and never giving her back her win. I still resent her for breaking Asuka’s streak. And I for sure despise her for how dirty she made Toni Storm look on her way out. After years and years of being on top, fans have grown tired of seeing Charlotte Flair featured in a prominent position. She's been a constant figure in at least one of WWE's women's championship scenes almost throughout the entirety of her main roster run, and fans are tired of watching her in the role. The problem is the booking, not Charlotte(tho it certainly doesn’t help she has a lack of self-awareness and can’t see why fans are sick of her in this role)

And the entire premise of this stupid feud is “I’m gonna be the first woman to make Charlotte tap/No one has ever made me tap” Natalya, Asuka, Sasha multiple times and Becky have all made Charlotte tap. Wow, once again WWE is rewriting their own history and at the detriment of their own women’s evolution just to make Ronda feel like a big deal. 

Ronda Rousey is a disgusting human being. Transphobic Sandy Hook truther, constantly hurt opponents in WWE and ran and hid when she was exposed for the 2 bit phony that she is in UFC. No one wanted Ronda Rousey in WWE. There is a reason we call her Ronnie Lousey.

Ronda should be the heel. I don't understand why Vince is so insistent on having Ronda as the smiling and waving babyface. That isn't who Ronda is in real life and her UFC persona when she was in UFC. In UFC when Ronda would have big fights she would power walk down to that octagon, mean face, black hoodie on, eyes staring straight ahead. She was intense as hell and whether you liked her personality or not, everyone knew she was walking in there to kick ass. In WWE she doesn’t do that at all. And it doesn’t help that she spent her hiatus from WWE actively shitting on the fans and the wrestling business as a whole. Like why do you want me to cheer this person?

Ronda should have been a heel from the get go. She is electric as a cocky, dominating villain, and is much better suited in that role, but the decision was made to bring her back as a face. She is not likable at all and the fact that Vince is unable to read the room, just shows this is a stupid decision. Like it isn’t rocket science. Ronda comes out, dominates the Rumble and cuts promos shitting on the fans, calling what WWE does is “fake fights” and her mission is to take out the Four Horsewomen one at a time and taking out fan favorites just to spite the fans and showing them all what a real fighter is like. She is the perfect villain, and it's mind-boggling that WWE didn't realize from her first run as a face, that it just wasn't what fans wanted. Hell, she even briefly teamed up with heel Shayna Baszler in the Royal Rumble match, someone she has a highly publicized friendship with, and the two looked great together, so the decision to have the former champion revert back to a babyface role immediately after is a bizarre one.

Also speaking of Shayna. You’d think this writes itself. A heel Ronda Rousey reigniting the fire in the killer that was the Queen Of Spades. “What’s happened to you? You used to be a killer, the Queen Of Spades. When I last left you, you were killing it in NXT, hell you dominated that division. And now? Now you lose to dolls and can’t even get consistent wins? I want the old Shayna back and I am not leaving until we dominate WWE together.” Like come on. You have Ronda dethroning Becky and Shayna dethroning Charlotte. ANd for the next year, they run this shit and hell since Ronda is on Vince’s good graces, he could use her pull to get Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke rehired, they get the tag titles and the MMA Four Horsewomen dominate the division....until the WWE Four Horsewomen challenge them for a Winner Take all Match at Wrestlemania 39 in a WAR GAMES match!

Like come on, why is Ronda a face palling around with Naomi challenging Sonya and Charlotte? Heel Ronda dominating with Shayna makes more sense. 

Again, Vince READ THE FUCKING ROOM! No one wanted this match. We wanted Becky vs Ronda. Becky was the one to beat her. Like you could’ve had Ronda put Becky in her place and pull a Rocky III. Becky reignites her fire as the Man, returns and redeems herself. Like it really writes itself and they did nothing with the most obvious booking decision they have in front of them.

WWE seemed to be building up to Charlotte vs Sasha at Wrestlemania and the instant Ronda was cleared to come back, they squandered what was going to be Sasha’s more than likely first Wrestlemania win in a main event scene and they took that away from her to feed the ego of that fucking moron. Vince just can’t acknowledge that Sasha has outshined Charlotte or the fact that NO ONE WANTS RONDA. Sasha and Naomi as Tag Champions feels like a demotion. 

Also? Naomi actually has a GENUINE connection to the audience. All anyone cared about since Ronda returned were Naomi and Sasha. These two should be facing Charlotte. The crowd has been behind Naomi for a long ass time and this should have been HER YEAR. Also WHY does Sonya’s feud with Naomi suddenly end and she’s now screwing with Ronda? This is so stupid. Ronda’s return not only fucked over Sasha, it fucked over Naomi.

All WWE is telling me is that Ronda returning ruined a potential main event victory for either Naomi or Sasha. Either of them SHOULD BE champion, not Ronda.

There’s also the fact that Ronda is main eventing TWO Wrestlemanias, while Bayley, Asuka, Naomi, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan and so much more who have busted their asses have not main evented a single Wrestlemania. But this 2 bit phony gets to main event TWO WRESTLEMANIAS???

Okay, now we get to why I’m comparing this to Goldberg vs Brock at Wrestlemania XX. Fans were initially excited at the prospect of WCW’s legend of a monster Goldberg going head-to-head with one of WWE’s biggest new stars at WrestleMania 20. At the time, they were two huge names, and it was a legitimate dream contest. However, things turned sour quickly, as it became clear that following their match, the two men would be leaving WWE. Goldberg was set to step away from the ring, and Lesnar intended to try a new path of American football. There was a slight chance that the fans would treat their match with applause and respect, with it being the last time of seeing them, but it turned ugly, with the fans treating them both like traitors, with many not seeing the point of having them take a spot on the card if they’re both walking away anyway. The match itself didn’t help, with Lesnar and Goldberg each turning on the audience, flipping them off, and wrestling a slow and plodding match, rather than the hard-hitting and impactful battle that they should have had. Even the addition of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as the special guest referee couldn’t salvage the match.

Why I’m comparing this is the fact that no one likes Ronda and the fans have gotten sick of Charlotte. They squandered Becky vs Ronda, the match fans want in favor of the match no one but Vince wanted. 

Another issue that surrounds the pair, and something which runs the risk of fans turning on the match as they did with Goldberg and Lesnar, is the face and heel dynamic. When Rousey left previously, she constantly bad-mouthed the fans, and even upon her return, she was brooding and angry, not acknowledging the chants and cheers from the audience, so much so that WWE reportedly had to talk to Rousey about her attitude, as she was supposed to be a face. With plenty of the audience being aware that Rousey doesn’t like them, regardless of the role she is playing, may cause them to turn on her.

Flair is currently one of the bigger heels in the company, with many being frustrated with her consistent time at the top and holding a title. This leaves WWE with potentially two women who will be treated like a heel, and for a match that is likely to main event one of the two nights of WrestleMania, that sets it up for potentially more disaster than the Goldberg and Lesnar match. 

My prediction, the fans will be so bored and when we eventually get to Charlotte vs Ronda, there will either be no reaction whatsoever, chanting shit like “CM PUNK” “WHAT” “BOOORING” or they will do what I believe will happen. The fans hate the concept of this match, the fact that this match is main eventing instead of Bianca vs Becky, not giving the fans Becky vs Ronda, killing Sasha getting her one win at Wrestlemania and they will boo both women out the building. Ronda will crack and cry like I know she will, Charlotte will try to crowd control as best she can, but not even Charlotte can save this stinker and it will stink up the joint and we all know it. 

Vince McMahon had enough sense not to book Goldberg vs Lesnar as the main event at Wrestlemania XX. Now he can’t understand his own audience and would rather have a main event that will stink up the joint than the match everyone wants. No one wants Charlotte Flair vs Ronda Rousey, well no one but Vince and Ric.