The Wrestling Thread

Women's chamber worth a re-watch, was better than the men.

 

Might give it a look then.

 

It looks like Rey Mysterio may be returning to the ring for WWE at WrestleMania 34 in a huge match against John Cena.

We noted before that Mysterio was backstage visiting at Monday's SmackDown live event in San Diego, his hometown. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports that Mysterio was also backstage for tonight's SmackDown TV tapings in Los Angeles to finalize details for the deal that will see him work WrestleMania in New Orleans. Barrasso added that Rey's rumored opponent is Cena.

Cena returned to SmackDown on tonight's show and earned a spot in the WWE Fastlane main event, making it a Six-Pack Challenge with WWE Champion AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and Cena. Rey made a surprise appearance for WWE at the Royal Rumble back in January and has been rumored to be in talks with the company about a return later this year or in early 2019.

The last Cena vs. Mysterio singles match came on the July 25th, 2011 RAW. That match saw Cena defeat Rey for the WWE Title. The two would then team up at a December 28th, 2013 WWE live event in Newark, NJ. They defeated Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio that night.




Former WWE and World champion Rey Mysterio is coming closer to returning to World Wrestling Entertainment, PWInsider.com has confirmed. Mysterio and WWE are involved in ongoing discussions for his return to the company after his surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble received such a massive reaction from fans in Philadelphia last month. Triple H is said to be the point person involved in the Mysterio negotiations.

There have been rumors over the last several days that Mysterio would be facing John Cena at WrestleMania 34. While PWInsider.com has indeed heard those rumors over the last 48 hours, we cannot confirm that match is correct and are only mentioning it due to the amount of emails we have received overnight.

There is also a story making the rounds, attributed to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated that Mysterio was at last night's Smackdown Live taping in Los Angeles to negotiate a new WWE deal. While Mysterio and WWE are indeed gearing up their talks, we have been told by several sources that Mysterio was not actually in LA last night.

As PWInsider.com reported in January, Rey's Rumble appearance was a one-night deal that was put together the week of the PPV. WWE and Mysterio have had discussions since Mysterio departed the company in 2015, but the major sticking point was that the star (who has undergone countless knee surgeries) did not want to work a full-time schedule, while WWE had been pushing for Mysterio to do so if he returned.

Mysterio, 43, ended a 13 year run with WWE in the beginning 2015, working for Lucha Underground and AAA while also signing a deal with the El Rey Network in advance of producing additional content for the cable network. No projects came from the deal and Mysterio’s runs with AAA and LU have ended. He’s since worked for CRASH in Mexico and has worked independent and international dates for certain promotions, including Northeast Wrestling and Great Britain’s Five Star Wrestling.

Mysterio is slated to wrestle Jushin Liger on the 3/25 New Japan Pro Wrestling “Strong Style Evolved” event in Long Beach, California, but obviously, signing a WWE deal would preclude him from making additional appearances for New Japan.

 

Just catching up with Sunday's ppv tonight. Women's match has been pretty decent, good way to open the show.

 

Loved Alexa's promo after women's match, totally playing the crowd.

 

Monday's WWE RAW, featuring fallout from the WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, drew 3.180 million viewers. This is down from last week's 3.282 million viewers. This week's show featured advertised appearances by Ronda Rousey and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, who did not appear.

For this week's show, the first hour drew 3.407 million viewers (last week's hour 1 - 3.518 million), the second hour drew 3.249 million viewers (last week's hour 2 - 3.509 million) and the final hour drew 2.884 million viewers (last week's hour 3 - 2.821 million).


This week's WWE SmackDown, featuring WWE Champion AJ Styles losing to John Cena in a non-title main event, drew 2.692 million viewers. This is up from last week's 2.613 million viewers. This week's show featured Cena's return, Ruby Riott vs. Naomi and Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin advertised ahead of time.

 

Hillbilly Jim to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018
Hillbilly Jim was a country boy plucked from the WWE Universe to be a Superstar. Now, he’s going to be a WWE Hall of Famer.
As first reported by Bleacher Report, Mudlick, Ky.’s favorite son is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. Hillbilly Jim joins Goldberg, The Dudley Boyz, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett and Warrior Award recipient Jarrius “JJ” Robertson on the list of those who will be honored on Friday, April 6, in New Orleans during WrestleMania 34 Week.
The big country boy first popped up in WWE in late 1984, as a big, smiling bearded face towering above WWE fans around the country. However, Jim decided to get a little closer to the action when Hulk Hogan was attacked by Ken Patera, Big John Studd and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Leaping over the barricade, Hillbilly Jim jumped in the ring and helped The Hulkster run off the villains. Hogan saw something in the rugged man standing beside him and trained Jim for the ring.
Opting to compete in his overalls and entering the ring with a lucky horseshoe around his neck, Hillbilly Jim proved to be a prodigy inside the squared circle, using his incredible power to squeeze opponents into submission with his trademark bear hug. Though an injury sidelined him early in his WWE career, that did not stop Jim from introducing the WWE Universe to his extended family – Uncle Elmer, Cousin Junior and Cousin Luke – a trio of happy-go-lucky hillbillies that put smiles on the faces of fans around the world with their antics in the ring.
When he recovered, Jim jumped back in the ring and picked up where he left off, this time with his family in his corner. Hillbilly Jim also embraced WWE’s smaller competitors, competing in a Six-Person Tag Team Match on The Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania III. The match featured one of the more infamous moments in WWE history, with one of Jim’s partners, Little Beaver, being splashed by the humongous King Kong Bundy in front of 93,173 people.
Hillbilly Jim continued competing in WWE through 1990 before stepping away from the squared circle. He continued to work with WWE throughout the 90s, co-hosting Prime Time Wrestling and managing his cousins, Henry and Phineas Godwinn, to the World Tag Team Championship. Jim returned to the ring for the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-Seven and showed a different side of himself on the hit WWE Network reality show, “Legends House,” in 2014.
Because of his lasting legacy as a beloved favorite of the WWE Universe, there is no better nominee for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame than Hillbilly Jim.
The 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Friday, April 6, in New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center during WrestleMania 34 Week. Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.

 

He has a great theme

 

https://www.theringer.com/2018/3/6/17072332/cody-rhodes-dusty-rhodes-all-in

 

Ronda is so awkward ffs it's hard watching her

 

Monday's WWE RAW, featuring a main event in-ring promo segment with Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns, drew 3.099 million viewers. This is down from last week's 3.180 million viewers. This week's show featured Asuka vs. Nia Jax plus appearances by Ronda Rousey & John Cena advertised ahead of time.

For this week's show, the first hour drew 3.302 million viewers (last week's hour 1 - 3.407 million), the second hour drew 3.267 million viewers (last week's hour 2 - 3.249 million) and the final hour drew 2.729 million viewers (last week's hour 3 - 2.821 million).


This week's WWE SmackDown, featuring the final hype for Sunday's WWE Fastlane pay-per-view, drew 2.590 million viewers. This is down from last week's 2.692 million viewers. This week's show featured a Fatal 5 Way main event with Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler and WWE Champion AJ Styles.

 

Ric Flair doing his thing.

 

Current Impact world champion Austin Aries returns to Ring of Honor for the first time since 2010 at their 16th Anniversary show.

 

Love that last bit



According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by way of 411mania.com, there is a rumor circulating that Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar will not be the match to close Wrestlemania this year. Word going around is that the main event instead will be the Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle vs. Stephanie McMahon and Triple H Mixed Tag Match.

The site reports that WWE may be starting to downplay Brock going forward because of his contract expiring and that Brock may be leaving to go back to UFC despite some within the company feel he will sign a new contract prior to Wrestlemania. The reason apparently for this downplay is so that it won't look like such a loss to the company if he leaves. They have also reported that the WWE hopes this will lead to the fans celebrating Brock's departure and rally behind Roman.

 

Not even sure what to make of that last bit.

 

WWE looking for the best.