Browsing: Reflects

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Darby Allin successfully climbing Mount Everest is right on brand with his wrestling and real-life character. He embodies the independent spirit, which is why it is no surprise he gravitated more toward AEW than WWE when he was a free agent.Â

The daredevil wrestler was a guest on “The Ariel Helwani Show” and discussed his insatiable desire to be a part of AEW when it first launched.Â

“The moment I heard that AEW was starting, the moment I heard the term ‘creative freedom,’ and there was this new company starting, I was like, that’s my shot, that’s the only way that I’m going to make it, I don’t even care about anything else at this point, I was like, I need to be there. And then I literally didn’t stop until I got there.”

The conversation then shifted to whether or not Allin entertained the idea of going to WWE in the pre-AEW days. He noted the direction that WWE was going in with the smaller guys on the roster at the time, which was to put them all on the newly launched “205 Live.” From there, Allin knew his future was not with WWE.Â

“I was part of their sister company called Evolve, I was part of that. And then I saw the writing on the wall. “205 Live,” I saw the writing on the wall. Where my money is is in the David vs Goliath matches. Then, as soon as I heard AEW was starting, I was like, nope, I gotta go.”

During the interview, Allin raved about the backstage culture in AEW right now, notably saying that a cancer had been cut out of the AEW locker room. He immediately made sure the audience knew that he was not referring to CM Punk, which left many wondering who that comment was aimed toward.Â

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “The Ariel Helwani Show” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription

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Brian Pillman was one of the most unique acts in WWE when he sadly died after a heart attack caused by previously undetected heart disease. Following his passing, WWE had a controversial interview segment between Vince McMahon and Pillman’s widow, Melanie, that was aired on television, which many felt was awfully distasteful at the time. However, according to John Bradshaw Layfield, there was method to McMahon’s madness at the time.

“I don’t see how you can possibly say no to this,” JBL said during an episode of “Something To Wrestle” after it was brought up that Melanie had requested to do the interview about her husband. “You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. If you don’t put her on there, and years later you find out the widow wanted to come on, why didn’t you have her on? Because she wasn’t a draw? People are gonna bash Vince for that.”

“There’s no right answer to this. Vince is a standup guy, and he was willing to sa,y ‘Okay, I did it, I made the decision. If you want to shoot arrows at somebody, shoot them at me.’ And a lot of people did,” JBL added, noting that if he were actually in McMahon’s position at that time, he would’ve also done the same thing that the then-WWE Chairman did. “Are you gonna tell the family themselves, ‘We don’t want you to do a eulogy on television’? Then you’re gonna look like the biggest jerk in the world!”

JBL claims he had a feeling that Brian Pillman was dead before the news of his passing broke

WWE.com

John Bradshaw Layfield also claimed that he was actually with Pillman the night before he passed away. “Brian and I were pretty good friends – I’d say good friends – and I’d always joked with him about something, a little personal joke, and he always kinda laughed and snickered at it,” he recalled, noting that the night before, he joked with Pillman again but the late wrestler snapped at him for the first time. “At the time I thought: that’s strange, that’s not like Brian? Brian was a really nice guy.”

Additionally, JBL told a story about a night between him and Pillman when the two were drinking where he found out that his friend was in a lot of pain all the time. “I said ‘Are you in pain?’ he goes, ‘Every step I take, every step I take hurts.’ He was in a tremendous amount of pain,” he recalled. “Later he didn’t make the show in Saint Louis, and I remember thinking right away back to the fact that it was different that he snapped at me and thinking ‘I don’t think Brian’s with us anymore.'”

JBL further claimed that he was saddened by the news of Pillman’s passing but not surprised, as he knew the late wrestler was a professional and wouldn’t no-show an event.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Something To Wrestle” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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During an appearance on Saturday’s edition of “After Hours” with Scott Oake and Gary Lawless on Hockey Night in Canada, the longtime Leafs star and current Golden Knight shared his thought process during the biggest decision of his professional career.

“There were a couple sleepless nights,” he said after scoring his first two goals with Vegas in a win over the Calgary Flames. “Super tough. It was not an easy decision at all … Tried to make the best move that we thought was going to best for our family going forward.”

Marner, who grew up just outside Toronto, spent his first nine seasons with the Leafs filling up the score sheet every night. He set a career high last season with 102 points, and eclipsed 90 points three other times.

But while the point production was there in the regular season — he had 741 points in 657 games — he failed to replicate his stat-sheet success in the playoffs. In 70 post-season games, the winger notched 63 points and failed to register a goal in two first-round exits.

The Maple Leafs’ struggles in the post-season have been well documented over the Core Four era, advancing to the second round just twice. Marner, being a homegrown superstar, shouldered much of the blame for the team’s struggles.

Now in Vegas, Marner is ready for a fresh start and has embraced the challenges that come with changing teams for the first time in his NHL career.

“The guys in this locker room have been awesome,” the 28-year-old told Scott Oake. “Starting to really feel at home here in the last couple days and week really. I’m liking how it’s going, and just got to keep growing. I’m starting to really open up and just do my part as well.”

If eight points through six games and six over the last three is any indication, Marner is nice and cozy in his new home.

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Infamous WWE star reflects on his recent release.

Known for his work on WWE LFG (Legends and Future Greats) Sexy ‘BJ Ray’ was recently released from his contract by the Stamford-based promotion. Not in the good books of the mentors on the show, Ray was also recovering from a serious injury when the promotion decided to part ways with him.

Soon after the news of his release became public, BJ Ray shared an update on X(Twitter) and reflected on his WWE journey and shared his gratitude to the promotion.

WHAT A JOURNEY ðŸŒ

Well obviously I had to have pissed somebody off lmao!

I would like to take this moment to address you guys as Brayden Jesse Ray. First and foremost, I have to give the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, who had given me this opportunity. Secondly, I would like to thank Hunter, Shawn, & Matt Bloom (as well as all the
@WWE
coaches & staff) that were involved with this entire process. The WWE Performance Center is truly a unique place filled with many gifted individuals and unlimited support.

As soon as I stepped out of my uber at my WWE tryout, the SexyBJRay effect was in full play. I had a strategy upon filming WWE: NEXT GEN, to start building one of the most over exaggerated versions of myself, to give the wrestling industry a HEEL like theyâ€ve never seen before.

And quite frankly, it arguably was one of the greatest rookie runs of all time. In a matter of months, whether hate or love, I won the WWE fans over and they were extremely invested. Without ever having a debut match on live
@WWENXT
tv, I have become one of the most recognized names in the brand and industry. From getting swarmed at WWE World in Las Vegas to taking pictures with fans in every airport I walk into, I have been able to build a movement with my hard work and dedication.

The hours behind the scenes, editing social media content, training, and reflecting on my character work, I feel it has all paid off.

There have been many challenges along the way, but I can only control what I can only control. Obviously this release is a big bummer (especially when you have no idea what you could have done different), but the only option in my opinion is an attitude of gratitude.

All I can do is keep pushing, & put it in Godâ€s hands. Iâ€m healing strong and will continue to rehab my shoulder until Iâ€m 100%. And the biggest SHOUTOUT & THANKS to my fans who made it all worthwhile.

And now, Brayden Jesse Ray is back on sabbatical and SexyBJRay has a few words. As my good friend
@TheNotoriousMMA
once said, “Iâ€d like to take this chance to apologize to absolutely nobodyâ€. What youâ€ve seen was just the trailer… get ready for the whole movie ðŸ¿

and p.s. “Ayo you got Snapchat?!â€

With no confirmed in-ring appearances scheduled for BJ Ray, the youngster recently reached out to Tony Khan for a chance.

Released WWE Star BJ Ray Ray Reaches Out To Tony Khan For A Chance In AEW

Soon after his release and a successful surgery, ‘Sexy’ BJ Ray recently reached out to Tony Khan on X(Twitter) for a shot in AEW.

@TonyKhan Your boy is ready… call me – The Ratings Machine (aka SexyBJRay),â€

In other news: Andrade’s in-ring career in jeopardy.

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The ultimate fate of an NHL team during any given contest can sometimes come down to a series of bounces and what some fans would simply refer to as good or bad luck.

Such was the case for Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat on Thursday evening during his team’s Home Opener loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena.

He had multiple prime scoring chances that were denied by goaltender Jakub Dobes, or as was the case early in the second period, by the post.

DeBrincat’s ringer off the left post came just minutes before the Canadiens grabbed a 4-1 stranglehold over the Red Wings; had the puck been literally an inch to the right, it would have been a 3-2 hockey game.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

“It seemed like I missed both of those, and then they went down and scored shortly after, so it could have been a whole different game if those went in,” DeBrincat said on Friday. “Sometimes those are the bounces, that first one hit his shoulder and then the post. I hit my spot, and sometimes they go in, sometimes, they don’t.”

Like McLellan, DeBrincat reiterated that the setback against the Canadiens wasn’t the result of any single player but by the team getting away from the fundamentals.

“Letting in five, we shot ourselves in the foot,” DeBrincat said of the loss. “We gave up too many chances, and they’re a skilled team so they’re going to convert on those. Everything they got, we kind of gave to them. It was unfortunate.”

“We Earned Those”: Todd McLellan Says Red Wings Deserved Fan Boos After 5-1 Loss
Throughout his first Training Camp as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan emphasized the importance of mental fortitude and responding the right way when things inevitably go wrong over the course of an 82-game season.

“I think we talk about these things of how we’re going to play and the systems, and we have our blueprint; we just didn’t follow it,” he continued. “We knew what they were going to do, we knew from the start of the game. We just didn’t execute on defense and gave them too many chances.”

DeBrincat was Detroit’s leading goal scorer last season with 39 tallies, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him reach a similar number this season. Speaking of offensive firepower, the Toronto Maple Leafs still boast no shortage of said despite the offseason trade of Mitch Marner.

In order for the Red Wings to avoid a similar collapse like what they experienced against the Canadiens, the key will be tightening up defensively.

“Staying above them, playing on the defensive side of the puck,” DeBrincat said on how to defend against the Maple Leafs. “Just in general, forechecking hard. We did a little bit of that yesterday, but not enough. If we want to win games, we’re going to need to get more opportunities, and give up less.”

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New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge discussed the team’s 2025 season after getting eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

“It’s what you play for, you play to win,” Judge told reporters (1:04 mark). “When you don’t win, it’s not a good year. Just gotta put in more work, review the season, see what I can keep doing to try to help this team and put them in the best position to win every single night.”

While the Yankees’ postseason run came to an end with a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 4 on Wednesday night, Judge already had his sights set on improving in 2026.

“I want to get back out there right now,” Judge said (4:40 mark). “I wish Spring Training was in a couple of weeks and we could get this rolling.”

Although New York wasn’t able to capture its second consecutive AL pennant this year, Judge still put together another stellar season at the plate.

He led the majors with a .331 batting average, racking up 53 home runs and 30 doubles to go along with 114 RBI in 152 games. Judge also led all MLB players with a 1.144 OPS.

The seven-time All-Star followed it up by slashing .500/.581/.692 during the postseason, hitting a three-run home run that helped the Yankees climb back from a 6-1 deficit and keep their season alive in Game 3 against Toronto.

Still, Judge wasn’t satisfied with the season as a whole following New York’s latest postseason exit.

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In the lead-up to the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, numerous members of the U.S. side, as well as the PGA of America, hyped up what they hoped would be a raucous home-course advantage for Keegan Bradley’s squad.

Bryson DeChambeau promised a “tsunami” of energy from the New York crowd. Before the start of the tournament, Collin Morikawa said he hoped the opening day would be “absolute chaos” after what had been a “tame” crowd during early in the week. As the Europeans roared out to a big lead, the home crowd turned angry and directed its ire at the European side taking the Americans to the woodshed. On Saturday, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse that crossed the line. McIlroy called the behavior unacceptable, while Lowry noted that the fan abuse directed at McIlroy’s wife, Erica, was “astonishing.”

After the ugly scene on Saturday at Bethpage, Bradley was asked if he or any team members bore any responsibility for the crowd’s behavior. Morikawa’s “chaos” comment has been used as an example of how the U.S. team sparked the fire that overtook the Long Island course. Bradley rejected the premise, and on Wednesday, ahead of the Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club in Japan, Morikawa said his comments were taken “out of context” as the scene at Bethpage turned sour. The two-time major champion wanted energy from the New York crowd, but did not ask them to insult and berate his opponents.

“I think we’ve taken what I said a little out of context,” Morikawa said. “I think Ryder Cups are meant to have a lot of energy, right? And I think me saying the word chaos, I didn’t mean for them to be rude, right? So, like, that’s not on me, I believe, for me to take credit for people being rude. I think what I meant was like I wanted energy, right? You wanted people to be proud of the country, the countries they’re rooting for. So I don’t think, you know, me saying one word, everyone listened and then — I don’t think I have the power to do that amongst people. I think fans can do and say what they want sometimes. It probably crossed a line out there. It wasn’t in my groups, but definitely what people were hearing. So I would say, yeah, there’s a line that needs to be drawn.”

After Europe held off a furious American rally to win 15-13, McIlroy made a similar point about the type of energy that players want at the Ryder Cup and the kind that unfortunately materialized at Bethpage.

“I think if I was an American, I would be annoyed that people — I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie today, but I heard a lot of shouts against me. It’s, like, support your players. That’s the thing.”

In an interview with The Athletic’s Brody Miller, PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague said he wrote a lengthy letter to the McIlroys to apologize for what transpired and promised to “be better” going forward. He also apologized to McIlroy’s agent, Sean O’Flaherty, and said he was “really, really, really disappointed.”

The Bethpage Ryder Cup has lingered for all the wrong reasons

By:

Michael Bamberger

That came after PGA of America president Don Rea did an interview with the BBC, in which he claimed that American players faced a similar abuse at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome and that he hadn’t really heard the wave of abuse McIlroy faced.

The comparison to the crowd at Marco Simone in 2023 immediately drew pushback from several European players, with Matt Fitzpatrick leading the way.

“I saw the interview with the PGA guy discussing how it was the same in Rome,” Fitzpatrick said last week at the Dunhill Links Championship. “It’s pretty offensive to European fans that he said that, really.”

The few American players who have spoken on the issue, either in the Sunday press conference or in the week since, have shouldered the blame for not playing well and apologized to McIlroy and others for what they had to endure.

“I think that anybody that was out there could pretty blatantly tell you that there was some things said, and yeah, Cam [Young] and I said it to Shane and Rory yesterday that we felt for them. It was unfortunate,” Justin Thomas said on Ryder Cup Sunday. “Cam and I just wished that we gave them something to cheer for instead of people to cheer against. I think that was kind of the main consensus of the last two days, that we weren’t giving them enough to cheer for, and they were just trying to help us win.”

“There were some unsavory things said at certain times,” Xander Schauffele said on Wednesday at the Baycurrent Classic. “I really wish we could have played better to have them cheer for us a bit more. New York’s a tough place to play for anyone. I even got a few comments to play better.”

As the focus shifts toward the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland, McIlroy was clear that they won’t tolerate any verbal abuse directed at the Americans.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week. Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how to play by the rules. It teaches you how to respect people. Sometimes this week, we didn’t see that. So no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.

“But we will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable, and for me, it’s — you know, come and support your home team. Come and support your team.”

Kevin Owens (Photo credit Scott Lunn – @ScottLunn © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

The following report originally published 5 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…

KELLERâ€S WWE RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 5, 2020
ORLANDO, FLA. AT AMWAY CENTER (“THUNDERDOMEâ€)
AIRED ON USA NETWORK

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

[HOUR ONE]

-Phillips and Saxton introduced and previewed the show, including the Drew McIntyre & Street Profits vs. Randy Orton & Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode plus Bray Wyatt on The KO Show

-They went to a pretaped segment with Randy Orton who walked through what the various Legends did to him in the Ambulance Match. He said in those moments, he saw nothing but darkness and felt nothing but excruciating pain. He said seeing them gather and laugh and smile at his expense last week made him feel sick. He noted the Street Profits joined them at the poker table.

He said for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. He said that came in the form of a much-needed reintroduction to the Legend Killer. He said he wanted them to feel the way he did when those ambulance doors closed. He said he made sure they felt the same pain he did. He said he watched them through his night vision goggles as they looked to their right and to their left in the dark. He said Big Show stood and started swinging, and he knocked him down over the poker table. He said next he walked over to Christian, looking everywhere for help. He said he snuck up to him and said, “Say hi to Edge for me.†He said he took a chair from Shawn Michaels and kicked his head in. He said finally he went to Ric Flair who was trying to escape out the door. He said he turned him around and he met his fate. He said heâ€d like to have seen Drewâ€s reaction when he saw the price paid by those who tried to stop the Legend Killer. He said the full bill wonâ€t be paid until he holds the WWE Title again.

Orton then issued a challenge “directly†to Drew through the camera for a Hell in a Cell match. He said if Drew wants to cement his legacy, facing him and beating him in the Cell could do it. Drew barged into the room, paused and shot Orton an intense look, and then shoved him against the wall violently. Drew punched away at him and took him down hard. “What do you know about hell?!†he asked as he punched away at him. A bunch of officials and referees ran into the room and frantically pried them apart.

(1) ZELINA VEGA & NATALYA & LANA vs. MANDY ROSE & DANA BROOKE & ASUKA

Zelina was in the ring with her music fading. Then Natalya for her full ring entrance. Mandy came out first, then Dana. (News Flash: Dana did not flex her biceps like a proud six year old boy after lifting a heavy toy.) Mandy took out Lana with a running knee and scored the three count. Brooke flexed her muscles with her teammates on the ramp afterward.

WINNERS: Asuka & Rose & Brooke in 5:00.

-Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax walked out to ringside and surrounded Natalya and Lana. Jax lifted Natalya on her shoulders. Lana yanked her to safety. Jax gave her a Samaon drop through the announce table – again!!!

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: Iâ€m not against just doing this every week for the rest of the year. Nothing against Lana.) [c]

-R-Truth stood in front of an ink board where he had created a his mock draft. The top picks on Smackdown were Mercy the Buzzard, Little Jimmy, Sam Roberts, Mr. McMahon, Charlie Caruso, and Brother Love. On Raw, Huskus, R-Truth, Michael Cole, Peter Rosenberg, Road Dogg, The Other Carmella, Ranjin Singh. He then noticed a janitor in a mask and thought it was Randy Orton. The janitor swung a mop at Truth, but hit the ref. It was Drew Gulak, and he rolled up Truth for the three count to win the 24/7 Title. He then ran away with the belt.

-They went to Phillips, Saxton, and Samoa Joe at ringside in front of the collapsed table.

-Backstage Ricochet, Apollo Crews, and Mustafa Ali were chatting. (They decided to film that for no apparent reason.) Then, conveniently, MVP happened upon them. (I bet theyâ€re happy they decided to film their otherwise innocuous conversation since it suddenly got interesting with MVP there!) MVP said tonight they are on the clock because, for one night only, he has an opening in the Hurt Business. He said Cedric Alexander said no several times and he finally came around and look at his career now. He said theyâ€re on the clock. Crews told Ali and Ricochet to ignore him. Ricochet seemed to be considering the offer after Crews and Ali left the scene.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: They should all take him up on the offer, honestly.) [c]

-Seth Rollins and Murphy stood in the ring. They cut to a video package on the Seth & Murphy and Mysterio family drama last week. Seth asked Murphy for the mic. He wouldnâ€t hand it over. Murphyâ€s said he had something to get off his chest. He said heâ€s been his loyal disciple, but for him to remain his disciple, he needs Seth to apologize. Seth, expressing disbelief, asked why he needs to apologize to him. Murphy said he should apologize to Aaliyah Mysterio. Seth yanked the mic angrily out of Murphyâ€s hands.

Seth said he could have shared all of their DMs, including the ones where she expresses all her feelings about her family, such as Dominik being the chosen one and how her parents donâ€t acknowledge her accomplishments. He said he could have put that out there last week, but he didnâ€t, and Murphy wants him to apologize? He poked Murphy in the forehead and said, “Disciple.†He pointed at himself and said, “Messiah!†He repeated that. Then Dominikâ€s music played. He came out with Humberto Carrillo. They attacked Seth and Murphy, clearing the ring. Phillips said, “This match has not been made official yet.†They stereo dove onto both of them at ringside. [c]

(2) SETH ROLLINS & MURPHY vs. HUMBERTO CARRILLO & DOMINIK MYSTERIO

Murphy tagged himself in by slapping Sethâ€s back after Dominik knocked him into the ropes. Seth yelled at Murphy that he didnâ€t need him to tag in and he didnâ€t need him in general. Murphy yelled back at him. Dominik tagged in Humberto who dove at Seth and Murphy. He hit Murphy with a top rope dropkick. Murphy rebounded from his back bump like he had bounced on a trampoline.

A Seth distraction opened up Murphy to schoolboy Humberto for a near fall. Murphy DDTâ€d Humberto. Dominik and Seth went at it at ringside. Seth threw Dominik over the ringside barricade, then turned to Murphy and told him he doesnâ€t need him. Humberto then landed a corkscrew dive onto them. Back in the ring, Humbert kicked Murphy in the face. Then he kicked Seth. When he leaped off the top rope a second later, Murphy kneed him out of mid-air and scored the pin. Joe called it “unbelievable accuracy!â€

WINNERS: Murphy & Seth in about 6:00.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: Lots of good action, especially in that closing sequence.)

-Backstage they were filming Adam Pearce talking on his cell phone. Braun Strowman then walked up to him and said he knows Raw Underground isnâ€t happening tonight. He said he didnâ€t drive all the way there for no reason, so he wants a match and, if he doesnâ€t get one, heâ€ll wreck the locker room. Pearce said heâ€s not a Raw wrestler, but after the draft they might see a lot more of each other. Pearce said he can give him an exhibition, though. Braun asked what that is. Pearce explained that itâ€d be unsanctioned, assuming he can find an opponent. Braun said if that means someone is going to get these hands, heâ€s alright with it. Keith Lee then walked up to Pearce and said, “Sign me up.†Pearce nodded.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: Iâ€ll never understand why WWE starts these segments by filming someone doing something youâ€d never show on TV because itâ€s so boring and unremarkable – a guy on a phone – and have the person of interest walk up to them instead of the other way around. They could so easily film Braun on the warpath approaching Pearce who is standing 20 feet away when they begin the scene. Itâ€s the difference between coming across like a skit on a bad sitcom versus a more natural documentary or backstage roving sports report scene.) [c]

-They were filming Murphy yanking off his wrist tape. Then, Seth barged in and raged at Murphy that he should apologize to him. He said he has until 10 p.m. to come find him and apologize if he wants to remain his disciple or there will be hell to pay.

-Phillips plugged “an exclusive interview†with McIntyre.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: Wow, congratulations, WWE Monday Night Raw, on this exclusive. I knew your hard work would pay off some day and youâ€d eventually have a “big get†like an interview with the WWE Champion. You deserve it.)

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “The Nicky’s Club” with Nick Barbati, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

[HOUR TWO]

-The KO Show: Kevin Owens said heâ€s felt different for a couple of days. He said he knows The Fiend changes people. He said tonightâ€s KO Show isnâ€t going to be about having a nice chat. He threw the chairs and sign out of the ring. He said itâ€s different tonight. He threw to a video package from Fridayâ€s Smackdown where Owens interviewed Alexa Bliss who said she has been cleansed by The Fiend, and then The Fiend attacking Owens.

Back in the ring, he said Fiend ripped the breath out of him. He said these dark souls keep going after him. He said first it was Aleister Black, and wondered if next itâ€d be The Brood. He told Bray to bring the puppets and his sweater vest out there. Bray appeared on the screen. He smiled and waved. Fiend said Kevin is his new friend, and itâ€s always nice to make new friends. He brought up finger painting and sleepovers and playing ball “or burying a body together in the woods.â€

The pig asked in a panic what happens if he gets drafted to different brand next week. The Rabbit said he doesnâ€t want to leave The Funhouse. Bray said friends stick together no matter what brand theyâ€re on. Bray (poorly) sang a song about how friends warm your heart. The Buzzard then ate the Rabbit as he said, “Til death do us part.â€

Owens called it a demented Mr. Rogers Reboot. He said they could have been friends, but theyâ€re not. He said he attacked him on Friday. He called him to the ring so he doesnâ€t have to wait until Friday to beat the hell out of you. Bray said, “Thatâ€s not very nice and I donâ€t like bullies, and neither does He.†He said whatâ€s going on between him and Bliss is not KOâ€s business. His voice got sinister and he said he has no idea what he got himself into. He said this Friday on Smackdown, heâ€ll know. They showed images of The Fiend. He waved bye.

After the jingle played, KO said heâ€s not waiting until Friday, so heâ€s going to find him. As he walked up the ramp, Aleister Black attacked him with Black Mass. [c]

-Charly Caruso interviewed Drew backstage. Drew said every time he sees Orton, heâ€s going to kick the crap out of him and it will continue in the main event all the way to Hell in a Cell. He said his answer is yes. “Iâ€m not locked inside the Cell with you, youâ€re locked inside the Cell with Drew McIntyre. Iâ€m not sending you to purgatory; Iâ€m sending you straight to hell.â€

-The announcers reacted. Joe said the Cell seems like the only setting to conclude this feud. Phillips talked about the Braun vs. Lee unsanctioned match. He threw to a sponsored video package on Braun.

(3) BRAUN STROWMAN vs. KEITH LEE

They locked up. Then circled each other, smiling with respect at each otherâ€s power. Lee checked Braun. Braun barely moved, then brushed his shoulder. Braun dropkicked Lee. Lee rolled to the floor. Braun went after Lee at ringside, but Lee kicked him as he charged. He kneed him and then whipped him toward the steps. Braun reverse-whipped Lee into the stairs instead. The ref counted to ten.

WINNER: Double countout in 2:00.

-Braun yelled at the ref for counting him out. He called him a moron. Braun then checked Lee into the barricade, which tipped over. Lee was down and slow to get up. They cut to a replay. Lee stood and eyed Braun. Officials tried to talk Braun out of going back after Lee. He pushed past them. Lee leaped off the stairs and went after Braun. They fought up the ramp. Lee shoved him into the LED boards. Lee tackled Braun off the stage onto a landing pad below. Three referees leaped down to check on them. “They need a forklift!†exclaimed Joe. (Great line there.)

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: I felt giving away this match with so little build was a mistake, but that segment made me want to see more between them.) [c]

-Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin made their ring entrance. [c]

-In the ring, MVP spoke before the match that Ricochet, Crews, and Ali are on notice. He said if they run around and try to play tough, prepare to fold when they see the black and gold. He said they – Hurt Business – fit the description of what nightmares are made of.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: MVP is doing such consistently good work on the mic these days.)

-As he walked to the ring, Ali said MVP lost last week because he pushed back at him. Crews said with MVP, itâ€s always about the excuses. Ricochet interrupted and said he knows MVP gave him until the end of the night to make a decision. Ricochet then said, “Itâ€s a pass.†He laughed uproariously. He asked if he almost had him tricked. He asked if MVP is mad. MVP said heâ€s about to find himself on the business-end of some hurt. Ricochet said for the past couple of months, heâ€s been on the business-end of a beatdown.

(4) BOBBY LASHLEY & SHELTON BENJAMIN (w/MVP) vs. RICOCHET & APOLLO CREWS (w/Ali)

The Hurt Business isolated Ricochet. He made a comeback with a dropkick, tagged in Crews, and they clotheslined Lashley over the top rope to the floor. [c]

Lashley was working over Ricochet after the break. Next they took over on Crews for a while, including a high one-armed clothesline followed by Hurt Lock (Full Lashley/Full Nelson) for the tapout.

WINNERS: Hurt Business in 10:00.

-Backstage, Aaliyah told Murphy sheâ€s been waiting all night to talk to him. He apologized to her. She said he should be worried about Seth, not her. She asked Murphy if heâ€s really considering apologizing to Seth. He paused and took a deep breath and said he is. [c]

-Backstage MVP was singing and saying “those kids are fools†to Lashley and Shelton. Ali approached them. MVP said he must be out of his mind being around them alone. Ali told MVP when heâ€s done with him, heâ€s going to after Lashley and Shelton, too.

-They went back to the announcers at ringside who reacted to Ali. Phillips said heâ€s got moxey.

-Seth made his full ring entrance. He waited for Murphy to come out and apologize. Murphy made his entrance next. Phillips said there appear to be honest feelings between Murphy and Aaliyah. Joe noted how young Aaliyah is, and said Seth might be the only stable thing in his life. Seth insisted Murphy apologize. “It shouldnâ€t be this difficult!†he said. He began yelling and grabbed his beard. “I made you what you are,†he said. “I made you and I can break you.†He tackled Seth and punched away at him. He knocked Seth out of the ring and then tackled him over the announce desk. Seth swung a kendo stick, but Murphy ducked. He got a hold of the stick and bashed Seth. He told Seth to apologize to him. Seth begged him to stop. Seth called for Aaliyah. Seth said, “Iâ€m sorry.†Murphy dropped the stick. Seth then leaped at a disarmed Murphy and dug his thumbs into his eyes. Seth then whacked Murphy with the stick.

Seth grabbed a chair. Aaliyah ran out and covered Murphy. Seth backed away. Dominik ran out and had a serious talk with his sister. Rey and his wife walked out next. Seth walked up the ramp. Dominik asked Aaliyah, “Are you kidding me?†The Mysterio family left together. Seth was shown waiting for them backstage. Dominik asked Aaliyah to remember what Murphy did to their dadâ€s eye. “What were you thinking?â€

-They showed Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax chatting backstage. [c]

-They replayed clips of the Seth-Mysterio Family segment.

(5) NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER vs. THE RIOTT SQUAD (Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan) – Womenâ€s Tag Team Title match

After Jax beat up Riott, Baszler asked for a tag. Jax hesitated, but finally did. Baszler worked over Riottâ€s arm, including stomping on it. As Jax beat up Riott at ringside, they cut to a break at 3:00. [c]

Riott tagged in Morgan and took over against Baszler a few minutes after returning from the break. Jax joined in. Four-way action ensued. Baszler caught Riott with a knee, then applied a Kirafuda Clutch for the tapout win. Riott had to pry Baszler off of Morgan after she didnâ€t release the sleeper.

WINNER: Baszler & Jax in 10:00 to retain the Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles.

-The Street Profits talked backstage about their scheduled main event match. They closed with “We Want the Smoke!†Drew walked up and dryly said, “The smoke is all yours, and Iâ€m going to kick the crap out of Randy.†They began their march to the ring. [c]

(6) MVP (w/Bobby Lashley, Shelton Bejamin) vs. ALI

As MVP dominated from the start, Saxton wondered if it was a mistake Ali came out alone. Ali did a 360 flip out of an MVP clothesline. Ali made a comeback with a kick to MVPâ€s head. MVP rolled to the floor to regroup with Shelton and Lashley. Then all three members of Hurt Business entered. They cornered Ali. The lights flickered. The Retribution logo appeared. They surrounded the ring as their logo appeared everywhere. MVP asked Ali if heâ€s with them. Ali joined them center-ring to fight alongside Hurt Business. Ali then rolled out of the ring and walked up to two of the Retribution members. Ali stared them down, then turned and smiled as if to reveal heâ€s with them. He ordered, “Get them!†Phillips gasped, “Oh my God!†Retribution attacked Ali. The announcers tried to make sense of what was going on.

WINNERS: No contest in 4:00.

-Retribution beat up Hurt Business as Ali watched. Joe asked how long Ali has been planning this. Ali entered the ring and looked around. He nodded and then Retribution lined up behind him, signalling that he was their leader pulling the strings from the beginning.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: The problem here is that Iâ€m not sure the average viewer at home knew whether Ali revealing he was with Retribution meant he was turning heel or Retribution were babyfaces all along. Iâ€m still not 100 percent sure. They beat up a heel faction. I am overall happy because Ali deserves a more prominent role. Heâ€s great in the ring and has a real alpha personality and charisma that has never been close to fully utilized by WWE.) [c]

-Phillips touted Hurt Business as the only group that has stood up to Retribution. Joe again wondered how long Ali has been scheming this. Saxton said we know that Ali has been behind Retribution all along. (Do we know that? Or should I say, how does Saxton know that?) Phillips threw to a video package on the Draft.

-Orton made his ring entrance. Then Ziggler and Roode began theirs as they cut to a break. [c]

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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(7) RANDY ORTON & DOLPH ZIGGLER & ROBERT ROODE vs. THE STREET PROFITS & DREW MCINTYRE

Drew beat up Roode and Ziggler in the opening minute. Orton went for a sudden RKO, but Drew blocked it. Montez Ford leaped onto Roode and Ziggler at ringside, then yelled into the camera as they cut to a break a minute into the match. [c]

Back from the break, Roode took over against Ford with a spinebuster. Orton slammed Ford onto the announce desk. Phillips said it shattered one of their monitors. (Thatâ€s why they always move them first!) Orton taunted Drew as he beat up Ford. Ford recovered enough to put up a fight, but Orton yanked him hard to the mat. Orton took a cheap shot at Dawkins, then tried to lure Drew into the ring. Drew held off as the ref warned him. Ford then gave a distracted Orton a DDT. Orton tagged in Ziggler just as Ford tagged in Drew. He tossed Ziggler around and fended off Roode, then went after Orton, and dragged him into the ring. He mounted him and punched away. Ziggler and Roode swarmed Drew. Drew headbutted Roode and Ziggler. Dawkins then schoolboyed Ziggler for a near fall. Ziggler tagged in Orton who isolated Dawkins in his corner. He then gave him a draping DDT. Dawkins blocked an RKO and then gave him a spinebuster and tagged in Ford. Ford landed a frog splash for a believable near fall, broken up by Ziggler and Roode. Ziggler went for a Zig Zag on Ford, but Drew gave him a Claymore to knock him out of the ring. Drew then delivered a running boot to Roode. Orton, though, then caught Drew with an RKO for a three count.

WINNER: Orton & Ziggler & Roode in 11:00.

(Kellerâ€s Analysis: Stop the presses! A upcoming PPV challenger in a non-title tag match pinned the champion! The match was non-stop good action.)

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The Rock fought through injury to finish his WrestleMania 29 main event against John Cena for the WWE Championship.

Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson and John Cena had a storied rivalry in the early 2010s. The Great One made his in-ring return at Survivor Series 2011, his first since 2004, teaming with Cena against The Miz and R-Truth.

Despite working together and picking up the win, Rock ended the show by delivering a Rock Bottom to John Cena. The two later headlined WrestleMania XXVIII in a match billed as “Once in a Lifetime,†only to main-event WWEâ€s biggest show again the following year.

The Rock on his WrestleMania 29 injury

The Rock put his WWE Championship on the line against John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 29. Unfortunately, The Peopleâ€s Champion suffered a serious injury in the early stages of the match, but he refused to let the setback affect the outcome.

During a recent appearance on NPRâ€s Fresh Air to promote his latest movie, The Smashing Machine, Johnson explained why he chose to finish the match despite tearing his abdominal, adductor, and quadriceps tendons off his pelvis.

“In this WrestleMania match, if he would have asked me, ‘Hey, are you okay?†And I say, ‘No, there is something wrong,†and he says, ‘Okay, letâ€s go home,†we would know where to pick up,†he said. “Itâ€s almost like you go right to the third act of the script, and we would go home. That would be the end of the match. I didnâ€t want to tell John that because I knew the match would end, and I didnâ€t want the match to end in that way.

“Not only was it important to me to go out on my shield, I knew this was my very last match of my entire career. My career was going to end on this night. No one knew, but I knew. The other reason, and maybe more important than my career ending, I was doing the honors.

“That means youâ€re passing the torch to someone who is going to carry it from here on out. That was to John, and that was the finish to our match; me doing the honors for him and him beating me in the middle of the ring to become champion. Thatâ€s why I didnâ€t want the match to end right away. I wanted him to have his moment. Thatâ€s important.†[H/T: Fightful]

READ MORE: The Rock Got A Concussion While Filming The Smashing Machine

What do you make of The Rockâ€s comments? Do you think he shouldâ€ve told the referee to stop the match in the aftermath of the injury? Share your thoughts with us by sounding off in the comments section below!

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In December 2020, AEW star Brodie Lee passed away of pulmonary fibrosis at 41 years old, with his death resulting in a wave of anguish among wrestlers and wrestling fans. Days after his death, AEW held a tribute show in his memory, resulting in one of the more beloved episodes of “AEW Dynamite” in the show’s history. Speaking with Forbes ahead of tonight’s six-year anniversary edition of “Dynamite,” Tony Khan reflected on the impact Lee left on everyone at AEW and around the wrestling world.

“We’re very proud of Mr. Brodie Lee and Jon Huber and what he brought to AEW,” Khan said. “Jon was a great guy in a wonderful family, and he loved wrestling. And it’s a testament to Jon Huber, and Brodie Lee as a wrestler, that the first two things anybody’s going to say about this guy are he loved his family, and he loved wrestling, and the wrestlers and people that he worked with.”

Khan praised Lee for helping invigorate the company in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when AEW was holding shows with a limited live audience at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Looking back on the tribute show held in the wake of Huber’s death, Khan still feels they succeeded at honoring the wrestler’s legacy.

“I think that’s the singular best event in AEW history,” he stated.

The Brodie Lee Celebration of Life episode of “Dynamite” took place on December 30, 2020 at Daily’s Place. It included five tag team matches featuring people who knew and worked with Lee, and ended with Lee’s wife and two children being awarded a special TNT Championship belt before a tribute video played to close out the show.

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