The finals of WWE’s RK-Bro-nament will no longer be taking place on tonight’s Raw.
The Street Profits and Rey & Dominik Mysterio were scheduled to face off in the tournament finals on Raw tonight, but WWE announced that the match has been postponed and will instead take place on Raw in two weeks (Monday, December 27). The announcement stated that the postponement was due to injuries suffered by both teams.
The team that wins the RK-Bro-nament will get the next shot at Randy Orton & Riddle’s Raw Tag Team titles. The tournament began last week with The Street Profits defeating AJ Styles & Omos by countout and The Mysterios defeating Alpha Academy’s Chad Gable & Otis.
Tonight’s Raw is taking place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The show will feature Bobby Lashley addressing his actions from last week, where he laid out WWE Champion Big E, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens. WWE is teasing that Lashley will be added to the WWE Championship match against Big E, Rollins, and Owens at Day 1.
Also set for tonight’s Raw are: Miz TV with The Miz and Maryse, Bianca Belair vs. Doudrop, and we’ll hear from Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.
Referee Lando Deltoro is recovering from multiple lacerations suffered at the hands of indie wrestler Devon Nicholson during a World Class Pro Wrestling show in Irving, Texas, Saturday.
Nicholson, in a mask and wrestling under the name Blood Hunter, had planned a spot with Deltoro where the referee was to be bloodied up after a run-in following Nicholson’s match with former WWE star Carlito. Instead, Nicholson lacerated him using what appeared to be a spike of some sort, hitting his head repeatedly and tearing an artery in the process.
The promotion announced Sunday that they will no longer use Nicholson and will do a benefit show in the future to help with his medical bills. A GoFundMe has been started to help with Deltoro’s medical bills.
Charges have not been filed against Nicholson and he has not addressed the matter on social media even though he has posted videos and tweets since then.
Colby Cowperthwaite, the referee for the match, posted on Reddit that he knew something was “off” with Nicholson even before the match started and told Carlito to end things quickly. He said he observed Nicholson stumbling, both before he came out and coming into the ring and that no one could find him backstage for nearly ten minutes before he was set to go out.
After Cowperthwaite went to the back as intended during a post-match brawl, Deltoro was sent out for the attack spot which was the only reason why he was there. It’s believed Deltoro used his own blade, but that it didn’t work as anticipated. Cowperthwaite said he thinks Nicholson was upset that he wasn’t bleeding from his own attempts so he decided to do it himself with his own device.
Cowperthwaite called 911 when he got to the back and later spoke to police who were on site for nearly an hour even though he said booker Kevin Sullivan told him to “kayfabe the cops.” He believes Nicholson hid the weapon “because as long as he told the cops that the 3rd ref was supposed to blade HIMSELF he was fine, but what ACTUALLY happened was the direct result of Bloodhunters actions.”
Fightful spoke with several wrestlers on the show who placed the blame on both Sullivan and fellow booker Eric Embry for a lack of empathy and trying to keep the situation quiet. Another corroborated Cowperthwaite’s account of Nicholson being impaired, noting he was in his RV until it was time for the match and he “smelled like booze.”
Nicholson is known for winning a $2.3 million lawsuit against Abdullah The Butcher after the former claimed to have contracted hepatitis C following a match together which resulted in a WWE offer being pulled as a result.
After battling severe health issues over the past year, former Ring of Honor and TNA/Impact Wrestling wrestler Jimmy Rave has died at 39 years old.
Agent Bill Behrens issued a statement on Monday announcing the passing of Rave (real name James Michael Guffey). The statement was written with the help of Rave’s daughter Kailah.
In November 2020, Rave announced that he would have to retire from pro wrestling due to having his left arm amputated. Doctors needed to amputate the limb after finding an infection in Rave’s arm.
Rave revealed in October of this year that both of his legs were amputated after he went to see a surgeon in June. Rave said that his surgeon determined he had MRSA in both of his legs and they needed to be amputated immediately.
The announcement of Rave’s passing stated that the amputations were the result of Rave struggling with drug addiction for many years.
A GoFundMe to help with Rave’s astronomical medical expenses raised more than $47,000. Mick Foley had been helping to raise money for Rave.
Rave was from the state of Georgia and began his in-ring career in 1999. He became a star while working for ROH in the 2000s, paired with manager Prince Nana as part of The Embassy. Rave later teamed with Lance Hoyt in TNA.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of James Guffey, otherwise known as Jimmy Rave,” Impact Wrestling tweeted. “We offer our sincere condolences to his family & friends during this difficult time. Rave made his IMPACT debut in 2002 during The Asylum Years & became a mainstay of the X-Division.”
Behrens wrote that a memorial service for Rave will be held in Georgia, with details to be revealed at a later time:
James Michael Guffey has died at the age of 39.
James was best known as Professional Wrestler, Jimmy Rave. His career, which started in 1999, continued for over 2 decades. He was a two-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. He appeared in Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, where he teamed with Lance (Hoyt) Rock as the ‘Rock and Rave Infection.’ In Ring of Honor, he feuded with AJ Styles and was the ‘Crown Jewel’ of the faction, The Embassy, and last appeared in 2013 as a Member of S.C.U.M. He toured Japan with both Dragon Gate Wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling where in 2008 he competed in the ‘Best of The Super Junior’ Tournament. In 2005 he appeared on World Wrestling Entertainment’s Sunday Night Heat. Rave appeared in numerous Independent promotions including Rampage Pro Wrestling, Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment, and Combat Zone Wrestling, among many others. He also served as a booker for several years in Rampage Pro Wrestling and led a faction known as ‘Jimmy Rave Approved.’
Outside of wrestling he held the position of Director of the Bartow County, Georgia Peer Support, Wellness and Respite Center for several years.
James had been struggling with drug addiction for many years. His struggles resulted in the amputation of his arm and, later, both of his legs.
James is survived by his ex-wife Felicia, daughter Kailah, son James II, and parents Jim & Toni Guffey. At the time of his death, he was living in the Philadelphia, PA area with Gabby Gilbert.
RIP, James Michael Guffey, 12/8/82 – 12/12/21
Memorial services will be held in Georgia. Details will be released at a later time.
Cora Jade and Dakota Kai are set for their first action since WarGames.
WWE has announced that Jade vs. Kai will take place on NXT this Tuesday night. At WarGames, Jade, Io Shirai, Raquel Gonzalez & Kay Lee Ray defeated Kai & Toxic Attraction (Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) in the women’s WarGames match.
Jade pinned Jayne to get the win at WarGames, overcoming a storyline shoulder injury that she suffered during the match.
Jade appeared with her arm in a sling on last week’s WarGames fallout edition of NXT. She interrupted Toxic Attraction after Rose had mentioned her name. Gonzalez then made her way out with a steel chair to provide backup for Jade.
On NXT three weeks ago, Jade defeated NXT Women’s Champion Rose in a non-title match.
Jade vs. Kai is a rematch from last month. Kai defeated Jade in their first meeting.
The updated lineup for Tuesday’s NXT is listed below:
Bron Breakker vs. Roderick Strong
Cora Jade vs. Dakota Kai
Harland’s in-ring debut
No holds barred match: Cameron Grimes vs. Duke Hudson
AEW is coming to WWE’s home state of Connecticut for the first time.
It was announced today that AEW will make its Connecticut debut at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on Wednesday, February 23. The show will be a live Dynamite episode that will also feature tapings for that week’s edition of Rampage.
AEW also announced that it will return to the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, February 16. That show will also be a live Dynamite episode with Rampage tapings.
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium previously hosted a Dynamite episode in November 2019.
Tickets for both shows will go on sale to the general public this Friday. Tickets for the Bridgeport event will go on sale at 10 a.m. Eastern time, while tickets for the Nashville show will go on sale at 10 a.m. Central.
Here’s the updated list of announced AEW show locations:
Wednesday, December 15: Dynamite/Rampage (Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas)
Wednesday, December 22: Dynamite/Rampage (Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina)
Wednesday, December 29: Dynamite/Rampage (Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida)
Wednesday, January 5: Dynamite/Rampage (Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey)
Saturday, January 8: Battle of the Belts TNT special event (Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina)
Wednesday, January 12: Dynamite/Rampage (PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina)
Wednesday, January 19: Dynamite (Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.)
Friday, January 21: Rampage (Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.)
Wednesday, January 26: Dynamite/Rampage (Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio)
Wednesday, February 2: Dynamite/Rampage (Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois)
Wednesday, February 9: Dynamite/Rampage (Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Wednesday, February 16: Dynamite/Rampage (Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee)
Wednesday, February 23: Dynamite/Rampage (Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut)
Friday, March 4: Rampage (Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida)
Sunday, March 6: Revolution pay-per-view (Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida)
Wednesday, April 13: Dynamite/Rampage (UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana)
A large betting underdog going into her UFC 269 co-main event challenge of two-division champion Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena pulled off the upset, submitting Nunes in the second round to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
After Nunes looked the part of dominant champion in the first frame, Pena came on strong in the second round, hurting Nunes on the feet in a firefight. She got a takedown with under two minutes to go and then took Nunes’ back for a rear naked choke that elicited a quick tap even though it didn’t appear to be fully sunk in.
The win gives the 32-year-old Pena (11-4) her first taste of UFC gold. She came into the fight winning two of her last four, evidence of a division that Nunes has dominated for years.
The loss snaps an 11-fight win streak for Nunes that dates back to March 2015. She had held the bantamweight title since July 2016 with five defenses to her credit. She still holds the women’s featherweight title, but has no clear challengers. After the fight, she gave Pena credit and indicated she wants to return, likely meaning a rematch will be next for both women.
In the night’s main event, Charles Oliveira submitted Dustin Poirier in the third round to retain the UFC lightweight title.
Poirier had a great first round, hurting the champion with punches and showing power in doing so. However, Oliveira (32-8-0-1) came on in the second, grounding Poirier and keeping him there. He got Poirier’s back while standing in the third round, working for a rear naked choke that got the tap at 1:02 of the round.
This was Oliveira’s first defense of the title he won in May by defeating Michael Chandler for the then-vacant belt. While Poirier held the interim version of the belt, he is 0-2 when going for the undisputed title.
One era ended and another began at tonight’s ROH Final Battle event, where four titles changed hands, including the ROH World Championship.
Jonathan Gresham defeated Jay Lethal to win the title after submitting Lethal with the octopus stretch. The entire locker room had emptied out prior to the finish. Jordynne Grace, Gresham’s wife, entered the ring as Gresham was presented with the old ROH World Championship and had his hand raised by former ROH owner Cary Silkin. The show closed with Gresham celebrating his first title win.
The main event for tonight’s pay-per-view was originally set to be ROH World Champion Bandido facing Gresham. However, the company announced two days prior to the show that Bandido had to pull out due to testing positive for COVID-19. As a result, Lethal, who is now signed to All Elite Wrestling, took Bandido’s place. It was announced during the first hour of Final Battle that the winner would be awarded the ROH World Championship.
The ROH Six-Man, Tag Team, and Television titles also changed hands.
Vincent, Bateman, and Dutch defeated Shane Taylor Promotions (Moses, Kaun, and O’Shay Edwards) to win the ROH Six-Man titles after Vincent hit Orange Sunshine on Edwards for the win. This marks the end of Shane Taylor Promotion’s run with the titles, having won them on the episode of Ring of Honor television that aired on February 10 of this year.
Rhett Titus won the ROH Television Championship, defeating Champion Dalton Castle, Silas Young, and Joe Hendry in a four-way match, pinning Young with a dropkick after he dodged a springboard splash. Castle had only won the title recently, defeating Dragon Lee on the episode of ROH TV that aired on November 21.
The Briscoes won their twelfth ROH World Tag Team Championship tonight, defeating OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett). After the match, the team cut a promo, saying they would take on any challengers. This led to the lights going out, and when they came on, AEW’s FTR appeared on the apron. Both teams soon engaged in a pull-apart brawl, eventually having to be separated.
AEW’s FTR came to Ring of Honor on Saturday night for a brawl with The Briscoes.
Jay & Mark Briscoe defeated The OGK (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) to win the ROH Tag Team titles at Saturday’s Final Battle pay-per-view. After the match, The Briscoes said Final Battle may be the end of an era — but it’s not the end of The Briscoes. They challenged any team to step to them.
The lights then went out. When they came back on, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler were standing on the apron. They came into the ring, went face-to-face with The Briscoes, and then a brawl between the two teams broke out. The brawl was broken up by officials, with FTR then going after The Briscoes again.
The commentary team questioned where we’d be seeing The Briscoes vs. FTR take place. The two teams had been feuding on social media leading into FTR’s appearance at Final Battle.
AEW’s Tony Khan said on Busted Open Radio on Friday that AEW would be lending some support to ROH for Final Battle. That also included AEW’s Jay Lethal returning to ROH to face Jonathan Gresham for the ROH World Championship in the main event, along with video messages from other AEW stars who used to be part of ROH airing on the PPV. CM Punk and Bryan Danielson were among those who sent video messages.
The Briscoes are now 12-time ROH Tag Team Champions.
FTR are the current Lucha Libre AAA Tag Team Champions.
Adam Scheer, the former Braun Strowman, made an appearance at tonight’s ROH Final Battle event.
Scheer attacked Eli Isom, Brian Johnson, and Dak Draper on tonight’s show along with two other people associated with EC3, one being the former Wesley Blake. The segment ended with EC3’s group carrying Isom, Johnson, and Draper to the back.
Brody King, Homicide, Tony Deppen, and Rocky Romero defeated EC3 and Tracy Williams, Taylor Rust, and Eli Isom on tonight’s show. EC3 brought Isom back to his feet started to cut a promo on corporate wrestling saying it was about wrestlers giving everything in the ring only to get nothing in return. Draper and Johnson came out and complained. EC3 said that this was a call to arms, which brought out Blake, another unidentified person, and eventually Scheer.
Scheer was released from WWE on June 2, with the company citing budget cuts as the reason for the release. He recently appeared on EC3’s Free the Narrative 2 event back in October, defeating EC3.
Saturday night’s “End of an Era” Final Battle pay-per-view included a surprise appearance by Deonna Purrazzo.
Purrazzo made her return to Ring of Honor after Rok-C retained the ROH Women’s World Championship against Willow Nightingale at Final Battle. Purrazzo issued a challenge to Rok-C for a winner-take-all title match.
Purrazzo came out to the ring at Final Battle with her AAA Reina de Reinas Championship belt. While confronting Rok-C, Purrazzo said she wants the ROH Women’s World title. Purrazzo said that, when she defeats Mickie James for the Knockouts Championship at Impact Wrestling’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view, she’s challenging Rok-C to face her in a winner-take-all title match.
Purrazzo implied that the match would be taking place in Impact Wrestling. Rok-C accepted Purrazzo’s challenge and shook her hand.
Hard to Kill is taking place in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, January 8.
Purrazzo is a two-time Impact Knockouts Champion. She won the Reina de Reinas title from Faby Apache at Lucha Libre AAA’s Triplemania XXIX this August.
Rok-C became the inaugural ROH Women’s World Champion by defeating Miranda Alize in the finals of a tournament at Death Before Dishonor this September. The title replaced the old Women of Honor Championship.
Final Battle was the final live ROH event before the promotion goes on hiatus for the first quarter of 2022. ROH has said that it will be taking that time to “reimagine” the company. ROH talent contracts aren’t being renewed after Final Battle.
Roman Reigns is set to return to SmackDown next week.
Reigns will be at next week’s SmackDown, which will take place at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Reigns was not on tonight’s show, and instead the show focused on Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman.
Sami Zayn opened tonight’s show in a wheelchair as a result of an attack last week by Lesnar and wanted a rematch against Reigns for the Universal title. Heyman came out, but was interrupted by Brock Lesnar, who tried to make friends with Zayn. Heyman interrupted and riled Lesnar up enough that he ended up laying out Zayn and two male nurses that helped him to the ring.
Lesnar was then interviewed and mentioned that Heyman was still his advocate. Later in the show, Kayla Braxton asked Heyman if it was true and what would Reigns think. An exasperated Heyman did not give an answer and walked away.
Reigns will defend the Universal title against Brock Lesnar at Day 1, which takes place January 1st in Atlanta, Georgia.
A new match has been announced for Wednesday’s Winter is Coming episode of AEW Dynamite. In singles competition, Wardlow will take on Matt Sydal.
Both Sydal and Wardlow appeared in the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale on this past Wednesday’s Dynamite, a match won by MJF and Dante Martin.
Wardlow has not lost a singles bout or a tag match since dropping a match to Chris Jericho in the fourth labour of Jericho match on the August 11 Dynamite. He is 6-0 in tag bouts and 8-0 in singles matches since his loss to Jericho.
AEW Dynamite Winter is Coming airs Wednesday, December 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern time from Garland, Texas. The show will be headlined by a Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson AEW World Championship match.
Also on the show, MJF faces Dante Martin for the Dynamite Diamond ring. MJF will be looking to win the ring for the third consecutive year.
Additionally, Hikaru Shida will be in action against Serena Deeb.
Star hip-hop group Migos will be involved with WWE’s New Year’s Day pay-per-view.
During SmackDown tonight, it was announced that Migos will be making a “special appearance” at WWE Day 1. The PPV is taking place in Migos’ hometown of Atlanta on New Year’s Day (Saturday, January 1, 2022).
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Brock Lesnar
WWE Champion Big E defends against Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens in a triple threat match
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) defend against The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston)
Edge vs. The Miz
Migos will make a special appearance
WWE is teasing that Bobby Lashley will be added to the WWE Championship match at Day 1 after laying out Big E, Rollins, and Owens on Raw earlier this week.
PWG has made their fifth talent announcement for the 2022 Battle of Los Angeles tournament.
The promotion has announced Black Taurus as a participant in BOLA 2022. He joins Lio Rush, Alex Shelley, JONAH and Kevin Blackwood on the list of tournament entrants. Taurus also competed in the 2019 Battle of Los Angeles, losing in the first round to Darby Allin.
Black Taurus, an Impact Wrestling and AAA regular, made his PWG debut in July 2019. He challenged Bandido for the PWG World Championship at this year’s Mystery Vortex 7 event in August, then competed for the vacant PWG Tag titles at September’s Threemendous VI event in a match won by Malakai Black and Brody King.
2022’s Battle of Los Angeles will take place on Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30 at the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, California. It will be the sixteenth edition of the tournament, and the first since 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic did not allow for a 2020 or 2021 edition.
Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz is releasing a book about his time with the company.
The book is now available for pre-order and is currently scheduled to be released on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. It’s being published by Twelve Books.
“Heels and Heroes: Writers Rooms, Metal Chairs, and Other Shocking-but-True Stories from the WWE” and “There’s Just One Problem: Inside the WWE with Demented-but-True Stories of Mayhem, Metal Chairs, and Major Insanity” are both listed as titles for the book.
Gewirtz joined WWE in 1999 and was a writer for the company until 2012. He was then a consultant for WWE until 2015.
Gewirtz currently works as an executive for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions. Gewirtz and Johnson worked closely together in WWE, with Gewirtz serving as Johnson’s main writer.
On Twitter, Gewirtz responded to someone who said they were excited to read his book: “Thank you! News got out early and the book (with the actual title and cover) to be released next year but very excited about it. I mean what good is spending 16 years in the business if you don’t have at least 25+ completely insane but true stories to tell.”
The full description for the book is available below:
Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz brings readers behind the scenes for an unprecedented look at the chaotic, surreal, unbelievable backstage world of the WWE.
With untold stories from a career spanning over 15 years and featuring the biggest names and controversial moments in wrestling history, HEELS AND HEROES is an honest, unflinching look on how an introverted life-long fan unexpectedly became one [of] the most powerful men in all of professional wrestling.
For decades wrestling was shrouded in secrecy. It had larger than life personalities, bone crunching physicality and jaw-dropping theatrics but backstage it was an industry devoid of outsiders. Then in 1999, after working together on a special for MTV, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson turned to 26-year old television writer Brian Gewirtz and asked ‘You ever consider writing for WWE?’ That question, and its answer, would have a profound effect on both of their lives for years to come.
HEELS AND HEROES is a story about perseverance, tenacity, and steel chairs. Most writers in the WWE last for a matter of months; Gewirtz was there for over 15 years, writing some of most memorable and infamous storylines in WWE history (covering the ‘Attitude Era’, the ‘Ruthless Aggression Era’ and into the ‘PG’ and ‘Reality’ eras).
Throughout this journey Gewirtz found himself becoming both friend and antagonist to some of the biggest names in WWE history – Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, Bill Goldberg, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and the two men who he worked the most closely with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. These men not only shaped his life professionally but also personally, forcing him to grow and change both as a writer and a human being.
So how does a lifelong fan and outsider break through to become the ultimate insider? How does a low-key personality deal directly with his boss, the most brash, unpredictable ‘alpha male’ on the planet, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon? How does one gain respect in a locker room that wants nothing more than to see him disappear? Where does one go when every year in wrestling takes you further away from the writing career you always wanted? Taking advice from his idol, the late ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, when you’re so full of fear, there’s only one way to push through: become fearless.
