Nearly a week after making his on-screen debut at AEW Revolution, Shane “Swerve” Strickland will make his in-ring debut on this Friday’s Rampage.
Welcoming him will be Tony Nese, Strickland’s former rostermate in WWE. The two were briefly a team on 205 Live and had two singles bouts against each other.
Strickland signed with AEW after being released last November.
Friday’s show will also see Darby Allin take on Marq Quen of Private Party. Quen, Isiah Kassidy and the rest of the now-defunct AHFO turned on Matt Hardy Wednesday which led to Allin, Sting and the debuting Jeff Hardy to make the save.
Keith Lee will look to remain undefeated in singles action as he takes on QT Marshall. Marshall got upset with Lee in a backstage segment when Lee refused the help of Marshall and The Factory.
In a grudge match, Mercedes Martinez will take on Jamie Hayter.
Here’s the four-match lineup that will be taped following tonight’s Dynamite:
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Tuesday News Update
WWE
Main Event matches taped prior to Raw on Monday included Veer Mahan vs. Apollo Crews and Liv Morgan vs. Queen Zelina.
Titus O’Neil, Damian Priest, and Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys will be on The Bump this Wednesday.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Big E said he did not expect to be moved back to SmackDown after his WWE Championship run. “My focus has been on controlling what I can,” he said. “We’ve had several interviews and I’m sure I’ve already talked your ears off about meditation and how much that has helped me. But, that’s my job. I focus on being the performer and do the very best with what I’m given, that’s my focus. But, I don’t want any of that to be perceived as me taking away from being with Kofi and Woods. That’s my greatest delight. For me, it was a transition I will say I did not expect at this time in my career. I had hoped to climb back and try once again to win back the WWE championship. But, we have a pretty big champion [Roman Reigns] and pretty big title on SmackDown as well so, you never know.”
The Rock on Instagram praised Montez Ford and thanked him for kind words in an interview: “We’ve never shared the ring together, but pro wrestlers all have a very special bond. Pro wrestling is a very unique, intense and wild culture that’s not for everybody. When you love the wrestling business, you become very respectful about the wrestling business. And when you’re respectful about the wrestling business, you become PASSIONATE about the wrestling business. It seeps deep into your DNA. Fans can always sense who’s passionate inside that squared circle ~ and who’s not. This man is passionate. We share that DNA (And he flys like the Superfly —-). Keep kicking ass brother and give my love to your family. And when you become world champion one day, I’ll be right there rooting ya on.”
The former Top Dolla, Ashante Thee Adonis, and B-Fab, now under the name HitMakerZ, have been added to GCW’s For the Culture event that will take place on April 1.
Former WWE head of talent relations Canyon Ceman has joined Obsesh.com as a Chief Athlete Officer.
In an interview with WrestlingInc, Shane ‘Swerve’ Strickland talked about his current status and what he wants to do. “Right now I am content with exploring,” he said. “The state that WWE is in right now, I don’t think it needs me. I don’t think what they’re looking for, and what they’re asking for is something that I can provide. Because I am always wanting more. I am always moving on a different pace, I don’t like waiting around too much, I don’t like waiting in line, I don’t like trying to fill one lane that everybody else is already jamming in. I am always into creating my own lane and doing something, it’s sometimes the things that I want to venture out and try is going to take risk. There’s a lot of unknown territory that the system is not familiar with, and that’s okay, because it’s their system, it’s still going to be successful with what they do, whether they change or not. They’re still going to make their money.”
